Daniel Masters
by Ryuuko1
Summary: After the explosion of the Nasty Burger, Daniel has become the protege Vlad always wanted; however, Daniel's life is thrown into chaos when he is transported to a reality where the accident never happened, and it is up to him to divine his purpose in this alternate timeline...AU
1. Alternate Pasts

**Author:** Another Danny Phantom fic for you guys...while my brain takes a break from the drama of the _other_ one I'm writing concurrent with this...

AU-ish. Set in Season 3 for Danny Fenton. For Daniel...set in an alternate future in which the events of TUE took a different turn...

**Disclaimer**: NOT MINE. k thx.

**Chapter 1**

Daniel sat before the computer, his chin cupped in one hand as he idly checked his mail—all three accounts. He leaned back into the chair and sighed, fingers crossing as he rested his hands in his lap.

The failing economy was wrecking absolute _havoc_ on his investments. Oh, he had chosen good, stable stock as well as risking on new companies, or ones in an unstable supply/demand market. It was a fairly good policy. He looked at the photo beside his computer and smiled wryly and wondered idly what they would think of him now as he reached out and gently brushed his fingers against the glass.

He turned his attention back to the screen and closed down his 'public' e-mail account and turned to his "business" one. His eyes scanned the subject titles and the smallest of wry, almost _malignant,_ smirks found its way onto his face. Everything was going as he had hoped in that sector. Oh, it was little things right now, a small business here, a local resturant there, a privately-run goods site online. He wanted to make sure he got it down before he started manipulation on a wider scale. Daniel was patient—he could afford to be. Vlad didn't look like he was going to die any time soon, and with the absence of their enmity there was no human trying to kill him—just unhappy ghosts and they were nothing to be concerned about.

As if the thought summoned the man, Vlad walked into the library and Danny gave him a small smile. "How was the meeting?" Daniel asked, closing down the business account and opening his 'private' one.

"Uneventful, but productive," came the reply, causing Daniel to smirk.

"Who was it with again?" he asked, going through the few e-mails that had accumulated on his private account.

"It was a meeting concerning a merger of another company with my own."

"Mm...I see," Daniel murmured, smug amusement in his voice and eyes. "Uneventful in that they didn't put up a fight to your suggestions and productive in that you got everything you wanted out of them without having to promise anything in return."

"You're getting smart, little badger."

Daniel rolled his eyes at the nickname, causing Vlad to chuckle softly.

"How are _your_ investments going?" Vlad asked.

Daniel closed internet window with a small sigh. "This stagnation/recession that the economy is in is doing nothing good for me. Even with all the incentives that the government is giving in an attempt to jump-start things, unless we find more efficient, cleaner, and less-expensive methods of production, I think this is going to last for an unfortunately long time."

"Oh really?"

"Don't take that tone with me, fruitloop," he told his foster-father dryly. "_You_ let others handle your investments while_ I _take care of my own."

"But you have time to do that, as you don't head international corporations."

"I _know_," he said, rolling his eyes. "Which is why we work well together. You take care of the long-term while I deal with the short-term. It works out."

Vlad shook his head, but Daniel could tell he was both exasperated and amused—it was an emotional combination that they tended to inspire in each other. Vlad ruffled Daniel's hair to the younger half-ghost's protests before walking away, leaving Daniel smiling faintly.

It wasn't so bad, living with Vlad.

Ever since the...accident...three years ago, he had been living with his former arch-enemy. He had been despondent for quite some time, but Vlad eventually got fed up with him and kicked him out the front door, transferring him to a nearby school, forcing him to attend.

"Maddie wouldn't have wanted to see you this way," he told Daniel when he had been sulking over homework that Vlad made sure he did. Using his family was emotional blackmail, but as he was slowly drawn out of his misery by his annoyance with Vlad, the pain dropped to tolerable levels. Oh, he would _always_ miss his family, would always feel that hole in his heart where they had once been. But, for once, Vlad was right. His parents wouldn't have wanted to see him curled in on himself and Sam would have smacked him around until he got over it.

He had gradually accepted Vlad as a foster-parent, and found that he was becoming fascinated slowly with the economic strangle-hold Vlad had over a number of investments. Daniel had never been one for numbers, but it wasn't so much that aspect that attracted him, but rather how people interacted and influenced what was basically a false construct that had ramifications in reality. He also found himself grudgingly learning more about his own ghost powers and the Ghost Zone from the billionaire, and was equally distracted by that. His mind would only occasionally drift back to the debilitating pain of the loss of his former life, but he knew that self-pity and angst would get him nowhere. He saw every day the effect of such deep heart-sickness in how twisted Vlad was, using his powers in a highly unethical way. Daniel never overshadowed anyone to get them to do what he wanted—everything he did was perfectly legal.

Save for those times when he had to wave large sums of money that he had access to in front of someone's face to get them to behave. Funny thing was most of those times he was covering Vlad's rather illegal activities than any mistakes he made on his own.

Even though he was already very well-versed in business, he felt he ought to have an official education in doing so, so he would be attending college until he could walk away with an MBA, starting in the fall.

There were times he found the difference in himself three years ago and his current state almost laughable. He had changed so _much—_he went from being Amity Park's ghostly protector to a business-tycoon in training (although the presence of ghost abilities had not vanished, and had in fact grown stronger).

He pulled over his homework and sighed as he flipped through his folders.

_It's almost over, Daniel. Just another month of high school and then it's summer vacation_, he thought to himself, nudging aside his laptop and spreading the remnants of non-AP homework before him (as the AP tests were over, his workload had drastically decreased). He looked at the mess and smiled faintly. If Jazz could see him now...

He shrugged off the nostalgia and settled back to working, pulling out the reading material for his English class (Dante's Inferno).

Just as he was getting around to reading about the 9th circle his ghost sense went off.

He ignored it. There were tons of ghosts that came in and out of his home—it was most likely nothing.

"Danny!"

The voice caused him to jump and he unconsciously changed into his ghost form, phasing through the chair to find who had called his name.

His eyes widened when he saw the trio standing before him.

"But...this...how..." he blinked and shook his head, eyes screwed tightly shut. He took a moment to recover from self-inflicted whip-lash before opening them again and his face paled. _This _has_ to be a dream..._

Following on the heels of that thought, green ectoplasmic energy began to gather around his hands, he becoming very quickly wary. This could be a trap. No, it most likely _was_ a trap. He would _not_ fall for it. He was smarter than that.

"Who are you?" he asked coldly.

The three before him stared. "What do you mean, 'who are you'?" one almost exclaimed in puzzlement.

"Exactly what that sounds like," he answered calmly, the energy focusing into small, bright green balls resting lightly in his palms. "Identify yourselves."

The three stared at him in disbelief, but Daniel wouldn't let his caution waver. It didn't matter how they acted; he knew a number of ghosts who were _very_ good deceivers _(or are we hallucinating visually, Daniel?)_. Vlad himself was a master liar, Daniel still only partly able to tell when the man was lying outright, when he was twisting the truth to suit him, and when he was actually being honest. It was surprisingly difficult. Daniel supposed it was an auxiliary skill he had acquired with his ghost powers.

"It's _us_, Danny! Sam, Tucker, and Jazz!" one of the three apparent-humans exclaimed.

"Sam, Tucker and Jazz are dead," he said bluntly. "I saw them die. Now, if you don't leave on your own _soon_ I will _make_ you leave," Daniel nearly snarled at them, anger hiding the deep anguish he now was capable of controlling.

The three looked at each other nervously. They obviously hadn't been expecting this reaction.

"Danny, we need your help."

"Really now?" he asked dryly. "I've heard _that_ one before. I _did_ help when I was still Danny Phantom, and for my efforts I got smacked around a lot. Ghosts or people, either just want to use you and then leave you on the side of the road in a ditch."

He couldn't help the small smirk that formed on his face at the stunned looks on those before him. "Why should I believe you? What will prove to me that you aren't just here to use me and my abilities?" he demanded.

The three looked at each nervously, then fleetingly at watches on their wrists. "Danny, _please_. We need you!"

"For what?" Daniel countered.

They hesitated and Daniel's eyes narrowed. "Why the hesitation if you aren't planning on abandoning me after making me do what you want me to?"

"We can't...no, we aren't _allowed_ to...give you any details. Just, _please_. Believe us when we tell you that we're your friends and would never do anything to hurt you."

Daniel brushed them off. "You're dead," he said flatly and turned back into his human form. His heart was breaking as he interacted with them, and couldn't take the past staring back at him from desperate eyes.

"Danny."

The voice was different and Daniel turned slowly, feeling a weight on his neck. He looked down at a medallion that rested lightly on his chest before his gaze was brought up to the ghost floating before him.

His eyebrows snapped up in disbelief. "I didn't think you existed," he told the Master of Time.

Clockwork merely gave him a small, enigmatic smile. "I do. However," the ghost paused and looked over at the three teens standing frozen not too far away, "if you do not help them, _nothing_ will exist."

Daniel looked skeptical and confused. "What do you mean?"

"Should you refuse to help them, the fabric of this world will unravel, bringing about the destruction of both the humans and ghosts."

"Which means that _I _would die."

"Yes."

Daniel paused and fiddled with the medal around his neck, thinking. A small, wry smile formed on his face. "I _have_ been bored without being able to fight against ghosts since I came here. I suppose that this would be a good distraction."

The ghost smiled faintly and Daniel had the feeling the ghost knew he was going to agree all along if he just used the correct phrasing.

The Master of Time pressed a button on top of his staff and murmured "Time in," before vanishing, the medal around Daniel's neck going with him.

Daniel looked at his three former friends, catching each of their eyes before sighing, having sent off two copies of himself: one to inform Vlad that he'd be away for an indeterminate amount of time and the other to make sure all his business portfolios would be in order. "Fine. I'll come with you."

The three looked surprised and wary, but were willing to take the answer at face value.

"C'mon, we don't have much time left."

"Wait a moment," he told them and it was once his clones vanished that he walked towards his former friends, slinging a bag that a clone had brought to him filled some supplies over his shoulder. One could never bee too carefully, he had found. "Now what?" he asked as he stopped before them.

The three took his hands in their own and there was the strangest pulling sensation on him as the world faded around him, the only solidity being his own body and those of the three touching him, their watches glowing steadily, eerily. Suddenly, something slammed into their group from the outside, causing the three holding onto him to flinch, their grips lightening, and his spasming in surprise. He felt the battering continue against the three holding his hands, even though it passed him by. He _wanted _to call on his ghost powers and beat back whatever was trying to get to them, but something warned him against doing so. Gradually the world began to reform around him and the three holding onto him began to relax.

Only to be hit by one last savage blow that forced them to let go and Danny yelped as he fell away from them...

Only to hit pavement in a rather painful fashion.

"Ow," he groaned, and looked around, before frowning. This place looked like...no, it _was_...

He was back at Amity Park.

It was exactly like he remembered it.

He raised an eyebrow and stood, looking around. "Now what?" he murmured to himself.

His ghost sense went off and he simultaneously formed a ghost half-dome ghost shield around him easily deflecting a stray ecto-beam. He turned to face where the beam had come from and blinked, almost as surprised as the one who floated just a little bit away.

"Who're you?" he heard his younger self ask, hovering a few feet away from him, puzzled.

Daniel was about to respond truthfully, but his voice caught in his throat and he coughed spasmodically, clutching his chest.

_What the _fuck?! He growled inwardly, and caught his breath. He took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "Not an enemy," is how he finally replied.

"Uh-huh."

"Danny! There you are!"

Daniel jumped slightly, even though his younger self didn't notice and instead turned to the sound of the voice.

He saw younger versions of the Jazz, Tucker, and Sam that he had recently come into contact with come around the corner. He habitually straightened his jacket, a gesture of nervousness and uncertainty, even though no-one else knew that in this...time?

They were as wary as his younger self had been when they came into contact with him. He wasn't all that surprised, really. He didn't look all that different from his younger self. True, there were _some_ things that spoke of the age and experience differences (both in terms of ghost power and life). Daniel was curious to know just how close the two of them looked, so he approached his younger self casually, as if intrigued by the person floating before him.

"What _are_ you?" he murmured, even though he already knew the answer _(what are _you?).

His younger self blinked, confused at how Daniel would ask _what_ rather than _who_.

His younger self was about to answer when Sam stepped in between them, shielding his younger self protectively. "He's Danny Phantom."

Daniel looked at his former crush and couldn't help but be amused that he ever had fallen for her. The pull she used to have on his heart was...gone. "I see."

He decided to back down for the moment. He assumed he would have plenty of opportunities to interact with his younger self as he strove to figure out how to get back to _his_ present, or even when he was meant to be when the older versions of the teens that stood before him had come to spirit him away.

"Who are you?" Jazz asked, and Daniel was amused to see her hand drift to the Fenton Peeler.

He tried to say "Daniel Fenton," but it wouldn't come out. Before he could answer with a false name, a beam of violet energy came their way and his younger self dodged, Daniel doing so as well, a growl escaping his throat.

God _damnit_ he forgot how annoying Valerie could be.

He watched his younger self fly off, taking the battle away from the "civilians," making him snicker softly.

He turned his mind to where he could possibly live for the time being when he heard Jazz speaking again.

"What?"he asked, slightly off-hand, making Sam twitch at how he treated Jazz.

"You never gave us a name."

"You never gave me yours," he countered, the smallest of smiles on his face.

_That_ caused Sam to scowl.

His smile turned into a smirk before he shrugged. "I'm just passing through. Probably ('hopefully'_)_ we'll never meet again."

He paused for a moment and looked around to see if his bag had survived the transit.

_Ah, there it is._

He picked it up and opened it, checking its contents.

Yup, everything was still there.

He closed the bag and slung it over his shoulder before raising an eyebrow at the looks that the teens were giving him.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked smoothly, almost entirely certain what the answer would be.

"You look...familiar is all," Jazz answered, hiding her puzzlement admirably.

"I see..." Daniel paused, a thought having occurred to him. He reached inside his bag for his wallet, and pulled it out, opening it and flipping to his driver's license.

Well. That might be why he couldn't say "Daniel Fenton." In this reality, he _wasn't_ that boy.

He was Daniel _Masters_.

He hid his amusement and stuck the license back in his wallet before replacing it in his bag after making sure the money he had stashed away was all there. He idly wondered if the transit and name-change had altered his ghost form, since he knew he still had his ghost powers from when he protected himself from a stray ectoplasmic blast from his younger self.

He gave the assembled teens a small smile before walking past them, his mind already on the problem of a place to stay. If he landed in Amity Park, that meant he was supposed to be _here_, not in the Wisconsin mansion where he usually made his home.

A slightly malignant smirk found its way onto his face as he pondered calling his "father." _That_ conversation would be interesting.

Something told him he shouldn't, though. That it would alter this reality _too_ much. So he accepted what the little voice inside him told him and decided that the first thing to do would be get a small apartment for himself. It wasn't as if he needed much.

He nimbly dodged a stray shot from Valerie's ectogun and snarled softly.

_Why did I _ever_ like her?_ He thought darkly, glaring up at the red-suited girl weaving through the sky.

He watched the familiar battle taking place above the rooftops and frowned when his ghost-sense went off. Something _big_ was coming and if his younger self was distracted...

Daniel slipped behind a building and provoked his transformation and waited, watching carefully, invisible. His eyes widened when he recognized the energy signature and shot up into the sky, and blasted both ghost hunters away from each other, stunning them both with the fact that the energy seemed to come out of nowhere and that it had hit both of them.

He remained invisible and silent, which allowed the two to realize what was wrong: a very large, very unhappy, very powerful ghost had made its way into their town and they hadn't noticed until now.

Daniel had dealt with the ghost before and had hated every minute of it. It had only been through sheer luck and a new power he had discovered through desperation that allowed him to survive. If the two decided to work together they would have better chances than he had. At least _they_ wouldn't be left on the brink of death.

Of course, if things came to being that bad, he'd step in, but he'd rather not. It was another one of those things that the little voice in his head told him he should avoid unless necessary.

He sat back and watched, landing on the roof of a building, amused. He really had come far from where he had been even just 3 years ago. He watched as an attack _he_ would have easily avoided hit his younger self square in the chest, slamming him into the pavement, and smirked. This self still had a long way to go.

He was becoming concerned, though. His younger self was holding something back. It was if he was almost...afraid...to use a power. He frowned. That wouldn't do. Power is _meant_ to be used. He walked towards the edge of the roof, about to drop his invisibility, but at that point the younger halfa decided to use the power that he had been holding back, even though Daniel could almost _feel_ the disgust at using it radiating off his former self.

He wondered why he had put it off for so long. The attack was ridiculously strong, leaving him gaping in awe and desire. He needed to learn that move _stat_. If this was another him, surely he had the potential to use it, too.

_Ghostly Wail,_ murmured a soft voice in his mind, and Daniel accepted that _would_ be what he called it.

The ghost-boy faltered in the air, apparently exhausted and Val seemed to be out of ammunition, even though the enemy they were facing was still pretty resiliant.

_Looks like he still has a way to go in perfecting that attack,_ Daniel thought as he rolled his eyes and jumped off of the roof, still invisible, sliding noiselessly, effortlessly through the air. He approached the still-strong ghost and landed on it, his feet floating just a little above the armor, not wanting to alert it to his presence until he was sure he had his shot set up.

He ignored the banter that his former self and the ghost were having ('god was I really that annoying?'_),_ and landed on the one break in the armor. Before the ghost could react to the sudden weight on its back, Daniel plunged his hand down through the chink between back plate and helmet, into the ghost's "flesh", causing it to howl in pain. He secured his feet to the ghost with ice before channeling said ice energy into the ghost, freezing him from the inside. He had to drop his invisibility, but it was a small price to pay. This ghost had been a pain in the ass to send back to the Ghost Zone time and again, so taking advantage of it like this, when it seemed...weaker...was sweet, sweet revenge.

The ghost writhed in pain and while he was having a hard time hanging on, he couldn't afford to let go—this ghost was enough of a loose canon that he didn't want to have to deal with it again any time soon. Well, at least, not until _this_ time-line's Danny Phantom was ready to face it_. _Daniel snarled at the ghost and drove his other hand into it, causing it to howl and redouble its efforts even as Daniel sent a surge of icy energy infused with ectoplasmic energy that sent it into spasms of agony. It thrashed, but its attempts grew more feeble until it finally collapsed on the ground, Daniel keeping the energy flowing, just to be sure that it wasn't an act (he didn't think it was, but one can never be too sure).

Once he _knew _the ghost was down for the count he yanked his hands free, ectoplasmic blood dripping off of his gloved hands. Quickly, he released his feet from the ice he had made to keep him stable and vanished, feeling that his younger self ought to not meet him in his manifestation of Danny Phantom quite yet. He flew away just in time for the ghost to get sucked into the Thermos without him following.

He shook his head, still invisible and darted back to where he had stashed his stuff, becoming human again. Daniel slung the bag over his shoulder and walked away, leaving the stunned ghost hunters behind (Valerie and the younger Danny united briefly in astonishment), all looking at the Thermos in pure confusion.

The last thing Daniel heard before he was out of hearing range was, "What just happened?"


	2. Settling In

Author: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, story plus-d or even just read. You guys help motivate my writing! :D

Disclaimer: DP mine is not.

**Chapter 2**

Daniel set his bag down with a sigh in his new apartment, running a hand through his hair. He had lied and bribed his way through the paperwork and now found himself in possession of a apartment which, while not being the best, was cheap, convenient, and good temporary housing. He decided that the first thing he needed to do was buy the small necessities to make his living arrangements comfortable, which meant going to the mall. Being _the_ place to pick up gossip was also a plus; he could find out all about his younger self's situation as well as the state of things in general.

He put away the little things he had brought along with him before slipping his wallet in his back pocket after attaching his room key. He stepped out of the slightly abused room and locked it behind him, with both ghost powers and physical locks (mostly out of a neurotic desire for safety after having discovered some of his foster-father's employees walking—well, floating—away with some of his stuff). He exited out of the building and just barely avoided bumping into Valerie. Daniel was about to continue walking, thinking nothing of the near-collision when he heard her ask in a puzzled voice, "Danny?"

It _was_ his name, so he turned, but his brows furrowed. "How do you know my name?" he asked, 'puzzled'.

"Oh, um, well, y'see, you look like someone I know," the girl answered hesitantly.

Daniel raised an eyebrow in skepticism. "Do I now?"

Valerie nodded cautiously. "Yeah...you new here?"

Daniel nodded. "Just started moving in today."

"Oh? What room?"

Daniel had picked the room _because_ of its connotations: "313."

Valerie frowned. "But that room is--"

"Unlucky? I figured from how cheap I got it," he said with a small, wryly amused smile.

Valerie gave him a small smile back. "Well, that's the story anyway."

Daniel shrugged. "I think you make your own luck," he said before pausing to look at Val. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Valerie Grey," the girl told him and held out her hand to shake.

Daniel took it in his own and brushed his lips against the back of it, startling the girl and making her blush faintly, surprised. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

_Charm her. Get her on your side. One more ally means one less enemy (if you're lucky and you _aren't_)._

"A-a-and y-you are?" she stuttered as Danny let go of her hand.

"Daniel Masters," he told her.

Her eyebrows raised fractionally. "Daniel Masters."

Daniel smiled easily and nodded. "Why? Is the name familiar?"

"No, not really...it's just an...odd name."

"Oh?"

Valerie looked away and fidgeted, obviously not wanting to continue the conversation. Daniel decided he would allow her to escape now, as he didn't want to come off as _too_ pushy at the first meeting.

"Well, I'm certain we'll have more opportunities to talk," he told her with a small smile. "Right now I have to do a little shopping to furnish my room, so..."

Valerie nodded quickly, a brief look of relief flitting across her face. "Yeah, definitely. My family's in room 207. If you need help..."

"Room 207. Got it," Daniel said before turning and giving her a friendly wave goodbye. The confusion over his name was highly entertaining, especially because his name appeared to war with two _vastly_ different personalities in her mind. How she knew Vlad, though...

Daniel walked slowly along the streets, not in a hurry to be anywhere particular. He still didn't know _why_ he was here, so he figured some sight-seeing and information gathering was in order. He passed vaguely familiar small businesses, amused at how some had changed even from his short time away. As he began to focus less on the stores and more on the people he noticed a large billboard in bright colors not too far away and looked up at it.

He choked on a laugh and leaned against the side of a nearby building, shoulders shaking in contained laughter, and even though he tried, he couldn't stop the wide smile that formed on his face as he looked at the picture plastered on the over-large piece of paper.

Well, _shit_.

Vlad.

Here.

As fucking _mayor_.

He shook his head and allowed himself a soft snicker as he pushed off the building, readjusting his jacket. He blinked and sighed softly inwardly as he lightly ran a hand over the cloth. He would need clothes, too, wouldn't he?

So, what did he have to buy and what could he get away with permanently borrowing?

Things he could carry easily he could permanently borrow, but anything he couldn't he would have to pay for. He'd just have to be subtle about it and _very_ careful.

Such as making sure that he didn't accidentally walk off with those annoying ink-tag things on his clothes. He supposed that was what designer stores were for—they usually don't put tags on their clothes, since the store tended to be small enough that people can watch for shoplifters.

Of course, that's impossible when one can't _see_ the person, but that was a different story.

Once far enough away from downtown that he didn't have to worry about being seen he became invisible and flew the rest of the way to the mall, watching the suburban sprawl pass beneath him, and thought.

He currently had a few pieces of _very_ interesting information:

His foster-father was Mayor.

His younger self was alive and well as were his former friends.

The Nasty Burger was intact.

From how his younger self was acting, he _assumed_ that his parents were alive and still oblivious to his secret life as a hybrid ghost-hunter.

Of course, he'd have to check that later, but for now the supposition was probably correct.

Daniel landed in a discreet corner outside of the mall and became visible again before walking around and into the mall. The sheer mass of humanity that greeted him made him wonder what day of the week it was. Surely it had to be a weekend if it was this crazy. Admittedly, he hadn't been in a mall in some time _(because whenever you do enter one, interesting things tend to happen)..._

Daniel walked into the bookstore and picked up the newspaper and his eyebrows raised in skepticism. A Thursday? Well, he assumed that it was close enough to the weekend that it counted. He was about to put the paper down but stopped himself and looked at the full date.

His eyebrows shot up further. If this date was correct, it meant that he was just on the cusp of turning 16 in this time-frame. Granted, that wasn't all that long ago, but that meant that the CAT had passed and somehow _this_ self had avoided the Nasty Burger blowing to bits and everyone dying. Daniel wavered between jealousy and indecision. He had actually grown to like living with Vlad for all that the man could be an overbearing prick.

Eventually he decided to set the issue aside and put the newspaper down. He was here to buy clothes and home goods. Which meant a trip to Bed, Bath, and Beyond, much to his horror. He had never liked shopping, and going someplace such as where he needed to felt surprisingly awkward for him. It wasn't like he could just tell one of the servants to go and buy stuff either, considering he was on his own...

So he made his way reluctantly over towards the store. He kept his ears open, though—you never knew what you could get from covertly eavesdropping.  
He stepped inside the store and looked around at the surprisingly high-ceilinged store. He picked up a basket and slung it on his arm, starting to explore. It was baffling to him—there was simply too much to look at. He meandered through and pondered what he would need when he felt the presence of a ghost and frowned. It was harmless, without any combat skills.

He ignored it.

It, unfortunately, didn't ignore him.

"Who're you?" it asked and Daniel acted as if he had never heard it, running his hands lightly over bedsheets in the bargain section. As he currently lacked a steady source of income, he'd have to watch what money he did have, which was mildly frustrating. He had become used to living well, so having to remember to be frugal was troublesome. He'd have to find a part-time job or something, which would be _annoying_, since the only part-time job he'd ever had was...well, nothing. He had helped Vlad manage stocks and finances for a while before taking the reins himself, and he would not degrade himself into working at the Nasty Burger.

The ghost finally figured that Daniel couldn't actually see her like she thought he could after having talked at Daniel for a solid 10 minutes, and so went back to gazing longingly at materials that she could never have but eternally wanted.

Daniel sighed inwardly when it gave up and readjusted the basket on his hip, pausing to flip through it. He still needing things like a lamp and larger pieces of furniture, but what he had was all that he could carry at the moment, and it wasn't as if he couldn't generate light on his own.

He lugged the basket over to the check-out counter and used the time waiting in line to think.

He really didn't have enough money to do as much as he would need to. _That_ meant there was going to be a little tweaking involved.

It was finally his turn and he put down his basket with a heavy sigh, earning a small smile from the girl behind the counter. "This really is starting to teach me the 'weight of responsibility' that comes with living alone," he groused.

The girl couldn't help but break a small smile and shake her head.

Daniel smiled sheepishly. "I just moved into town, actually..."

"Really?" the girl asked as she idly scanned the goods. "Why?"

"Ouch," Daniel said, mock wincing. "Rent was cheap, friends nearby," he replied, starting to bag the things. He briefly shorted out the scanner so that it registered that it read the purchase of the product, but didn't record the price. "You don't like it here?" Daniel prompted.

The girl rolled her eyes and Daniel performed his little trick for the next two items she blindly scanned. Obviously, she'd been working here too long. "There's _nothing_ nearby," she groused.

"That's not _really_ true. Anyway, the cities aren't what they're cracked up to be."

"Oh? You lived in them before?"

"There was a time when my father and I had to spend some time in New York..." Daniel trailed off, getting her attention and so that she didn't notice when she missed the most expensive item.

"What's it like there?" she asked quickly, curious and desperate to learn of the world outside Amity Park.

Daniel smiled slightly. "Very busy. There's never a time when there _isn't_ something going on."

"What'd you do there?"

"Homework, mostly," he answered wryly. "My father didn't let me slack."

The girl made a noise of protest on Daniel's behalf, making him smile easily. "However, I _did_ have some time to myself. I saw a number of Broadway musicals..."

"Which ones?" she asked enthusiastically, and didn't bother to check if the total made sense considering what Daniel had bought when she automatically rattled it off.

"Oh, the usual," Daniel replied as he handed her the exact amount. "Phantom of the Opera, Les Mis, Cats, Oklahoma, and Spamalot, to name a few..."

The girl sighed enviously as she handed him the receipt. "I wish I were that lucky..."

Daniel gave the girl a smile full of easy charm. "I'm sure you'll get to see New York someday. It's a great place to visit..."

The girl nodded enthusiastically and Daniel waved, walking away from the counter and out of the store before she, or, really, anyone, could become suspicious. A thought made him sigh as he walked: he would be flying with extra weight on his arms and would have to extend his invisibility to the bags, which would be troublesome. He shook his head slightly and readjusted them on his arms.

He walked slowly through the mall, stopping often to look at displays in the windows, picking out which stores he would visit later to acquire clothes. As he did so, he listened to the snatches of conversation that he caught as people walked by him and he walked by people. He eventually caught a snippet of conversation that made him slow down and stop, finding a place to sit as he worked blood back into his arms and hands.

"Did you see what happened last night?"

"No, not really."

"There was this huge battle between Danny Phantom, Valerie, and a new ghost!"

That earned a few murmurs.

"A new one?"

"Yeah! It was _huge!_ It even looked like they weren't going to win. But, then, a copy of Danny--"

_So that's how they're telling it. Saying that this me now has the power to duplicate himself,_ Daniel murmured to himself _(I'm surprised at how little you care)_.

"--landed on the back of the thing and really started going at it!"

There were excited murmurs.

"Ah, man, wish I coulda seen it..."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. He was a _celebrity_ here. It seemed that he attracted fame (or infamy) no matter what he did.

He listened a little longer before standing and picking up the bags, having acquired a few pieces of interesting information to mull over. He exited the mall, stepping into the weather (it was nearing end of school here, too, apparently, from how warm it was) and squinted briefly against the glare of the sun. He walked around a blind corner and became invisible, flying back to his new apartment, partially lost in his thoughts. He phased through the walls and alighted gently on the floor before dropping the bags with a thud.

Alright, so now he could _live_ comfortably. He still had another trip to the mall _and_ one to the supermarket.

Daniel groaned softly. Who knew this whole "living on your own" thing would be so damn difficult?

--

He was putting away the last of the food in the fridge when he heard someone knock politely but forcefully on the door. He frowned, wondering who it could be. Perhaps neighbors?

He walked towards the door before hissing softly. If a ghost was here, that meant that Vlad wanted to see him. No-one else uses messenger ghosts. Too bad he couldn't do anything that would make Vlad look twice at him, like ignoring or attacking his messenger.

So he opened the door and saw a _very_ familiar ghostly messenger before him, one _he_ had used on a number of occasions as well. "Can I help you?" he asked, sounding appropriately confused and curious.

"Here," said the ghost and handed a letter to Daniel, who took it. He turned it over in his hands and when he looked up again, said ghost was gone, as Daniel knew it would be. He sighed and closed the door, locking it behind him. He opened the letter and read a politely phrased demand to see him as "Masters" in general isn't all that a common of a name, and there might be a chance he's a distant cousin or something.

Daniel had expected it_, especially_ since he had registered as "_Daniel_ Masters", but it still made him annoyed. Normally Vlad wouldn't have any interest whatsoever in people like Daniel—poor, college age, just starting to get settled into the world—but the combination of _Daniel_, who was the son of the "love of his life" and _Masters_, his own last name, must have been _far _too tempting to pass by. Lying and evading around a master like his foster-father would be an interesting experience. It would let him see just how good _he_ was as well as what _this_ Vlad was like. In any case, it would definitely be an interesting experience.

Daniel took the "at your convenience" clause to mean he could appear at any time. So he felt that getting it over with as quickly as possible would be a good way to approach the problem. It would give Vlad less time to observe him. He found himself dressing in the way that he usually would around his foster-father whenever the billionaire dragged him to work-related functions and couldn't help but smile at himself.

He settled for nice pants and a light, button down shirt. Casual, but not _too_ casual.

He hadn't known that he'd become so vain...

He swept the room for any bugs—both the animal and mechanical kinds—and vanished when he was certain there were none watching him, phasing through the walls and making short order of the distance from his current residence and City Hall. It was time to see what _this_ Vlad was like.

He became visible inconspicuously before quickly ascending the steps and stepping into the building. While he _wanted_ to exude the confidence that came to the fore whenever he wanted people to look the other way, he had to actually catch their attention.

God, the charade was annoying.

He stopped and knocked politely on the door to the lobby before the Mayor's office annex and stuck his head in, giving the amused secretary a nervous smile.

"I'm here to see the Mayor," he said hesitantly as he entered and handed the letter he had received to the secretary.

"Wait just a moment," she told him and Daniel sat down, snickering inwardly. He was, and was not, looking forward to this. He stood when he heard two pairs of footsteps coming down the hall and watched the door open, the secretary exiting first before being followed by this time's Vlad Masters. They stood apart for only a heartbeat, each sizing up the other before Vlad approached him.

"You must be Daniel," he said in a voice that Daniel had heard him use when speaking to the owners of a potential business conquest. It was the 'I'm not a threat, so you can just relax' tone. Daniel had almost perfected such a tone himself.

"Y-yeah," Daniel stuttered, looking away as if slightly intimidated by talking to the _Mayor_, of all people!, so soon after moving in.

"Come, why don't we move to someplace more comfortable?"

Oh, Daniel knew this routine far too well, and played along with it perfectly. He stepped forward and into the hallway, after which Vlad closed the door, leading Daniel to his office.

"So, you just recently moved here?" Vlad asked, and Daniel nodded. Daniel would stick to truth as much as he could—he was getting better at lying, but Vlad could still catch him at it. He assumed this one would be able to do so as well.

"Yeah," Daniel affirmed.

"May I ask why?"

Daniel hesitated. "Well, it really wasn't all that planned...a few things happened at home and I ended up being sent here...and I have some friends in the area..." he said slowly as he was let into Vlad's office and guided into a chair.

"I see. So, Daniel Masters isn't your real name?"

"No, it is."

"And you feel that is safe?"

"The States is a big place. Daniel is a very common name, and anyway...I...kinda covered my tracks..."

"Ah. I see. May I ask exactly what happened?"

Daniel squirmed. "Do I _have_ to answer?"

"I am just...curious..."

_You just want to have stuff to hang over my head in case whatever I'm avoiding catches up with me,_ Daniel thought dryly.

Daniel smiled sadly, eyes going to the floor. "I'd rather not talk about it." His voice was laden with guilt and sadness.

To his relief, Vlad backed off. "What do you think of Amity Park?"

"It's nice so far. I haven't really had a chance to meet anyone...except that kid and the girl in the red suit..." he mentioned off-hand.

Vlad looked casually interested. "Oh?"

"Yeah, I had just come into town and got knocked over by this green beam of...light?...and then I saw this kid with white hair and green eyes in a jumpsuit _hovering_ not too far from me! As in, suspended in thin air! Without any support I could see! Then other people showed up—they looked normal—and then another person in a red skin-tight suit of some sort showed up and began to fight the other one in a jumpsuit and it was _very_ confusing," Daniel finished, a baffled look on his face. "Is that normal for here?"

"Unfortunately," Vlad replied smoothly. "You just happened to meet our resident menace and its hunter."

Daniel frowned and seethed inwardly. He wasn't a menace! Well...not when he had lived in Amity Park...

"'Menace'?"

"Yes, a half-ghost freak who goes by the name of 'Danny Phantom'. He supposedly fights against the ghosts that have begun to infest this city, but it is an opinion that he is more likely the leader of these ghosts."

Daniel wanted to go, 'Are you freakin' retarded? I _loathed_ ghosts when I lived here!', but instead he merely looked concerned. "And the...hunter?"

"Ah, that is one Miss Valerie Grey."

Daniel's eyebrows shot up. "Really? She lives a floor below me!"

"Is that so?" Vlad asked.

_As if he didn't know that already,_ Daniel muttered inwardly. Instead, he nodded. "Yeah."

"How...interesting."

Daniel was about to say something, but his stomach growled loudly, making him look sheepish. He had forgotten about eating as he had traveled that day and using his ghost abilities made him immune to human concerns like hunger, at least for a while. "Sorry I-"

Vlad waved whatever Daniel had been about to say away. "It's no problem, Daniel," he assured. "I have kept you long enough from settling into your new home."

Daniel allowed himself to be visibly relieved, and Vlad thankfully had the tact not to chuckle, even though Daniel could read the amusement in his posture. Daniel stood and cracked his back, the part of his body aching from carrying so much stuff all over the place.

Vlad put a empathic hand on his shoulder, and Daniel gave the mayor an unsure smile before preceding him out of the office.

"It was nice meeting you," he said, and gave the Mayor a small smile and a wave as he beat a hasty retreat, stopping outside City Hall. He looked up at it and his eyes narrowed.

Vlad had let it slip once that he wasn't able to sense half-ghosts as well as he could ghosts, and Daniel knew for a fact that he had no clue whenever Vlad was around, even when he was standing right behind him in ghost form. Perhaps this was a good time for some eavesdropping, to see how well he had played. Daniel slipped around a corner and split himself in two, sending a copy back into the building, invisible, intangible, and with its energy signature as suppressed as possible.

He was _so_ glad Vlad had the unfortunate habit of talking aloud to himself. It came from living alone for so long, and even though _his_ Vlad had learned to keep his mouth shut after living with Daniel for three years, he was pretty sure that this Vlad didn't. He situated his clone in a corner of the office, invisible, watching the mayor as Vlad sat back down at his desk.

"Daniel Masters, hm?" he murmured aloud, looking at a picture that one of the hidden cameras had taken of him. "I think you are more than you seem." His fingers traced the edges of the photo, him obviously deep in thought. Daniel dared not move.

Vlad sighed after a long moment. "For the first time in a long time, I find myself unable to read someone entirely, and that is a very rare occurrence."

_Score (Pure luck)!_

"The only thing I _know_ you were lying to me about was your reason for coming here, but that's easy enough to discover..." the man murmured and Daniel wanted to snicker. He could search as long as he liked, but Daniel Masters didn't _really _exist here.

Daniel dispelled his clone after pulling it into the main chamber, and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Well, that was the first day down. Now he had to figure out a job and what the hell he was supposed to be doing here.


	3. Work

Author: First off, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed. It's a high to see people _like_ what I write. So, yes. A **big** 'thank you' to you all. Now, without further ado...

Disclaimer Time: Danny Phantom isn't mine. Alas.

**Chapter 3**

Daniel frowned, annoyed at being held hostage. His younger self was once again pitted against a ghost _he_ was very familiar with, but was just a little too strong for the weaker, younger halfa. Too strong as in even though hope springs eternal, if Danny didn't figure out the weaknesses in this particular ghost, it would outlast him and then mercilessly squish the half-ghost.

Daniel tested the hold of the ectoplasmic goo on his body and was glad to see it give under his squirming. It wasn't as despicably strong as he remembered it being. The other civilians that were trapped with him had all already fallen victim to the sleep-inducing agent that was incorporated into the gel, but as _he_ wasn't entirely human (and this particular excretion was meant to work on humans—not half-ghosts) he was fine, for the time being.

He waited until the younger hybrid's attention was away from him and tried to summon his ghost powers, and smiled triumphantly when they worked.

He phased through the muck and shook off what little remained on him before landing on the edge of the mess. He looked up at the younger halfa, then back at the people caught near him. He paused a moment longer before sighing. The sleep agent in the goo was very powerful. If something didn't happen to free these people, and _soon_, the toxin would slow body processes to a halt, killing them. As it appeared this his younger self was too busy to pick that piece of information up...

Daniel knelt down and slipped his hands into the gel. If only he was getting paid for covering his younger self's ass...

He sent his power through the gunk, destabilizing it. The goo sublimated after glowing softly from the energy he was pouring into it, releasing the civilians trapped beneath it. He transformed out of his ghost form, just a moment before the ghost and younger halfa turned to look at what happened, lying down quickly. He wasn't certain _why_ he was being so secretive, but he felt that it was just...the right thing to do.

"How did you do that?" he heard the spider-ghost hiss, and Daniel smirked slightly, eyes open just enough to see the ghost whirl to face his younger self. The younger Danny reacted much in the same way he would (which made sense): he played it up.

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know?" he heard him ask smugly. Daniel was able to detect the slightest waver in his voice that bespoke equal confusion, but the ghost he was fighting wasn't all that bright.

The halfa's reply infuriated the ghost and Daniel closed his eyes, waiting for the battle to end.

Everything had been going so _well_.

He had woken leisurely that morning—after all, there was no rush to _do_ anything. No school, no assets to check, and none of his foster-father's surprise "training sessions". He had idly puttered before deciding to head out and actually do a job search. He didn't really want to use any leverage aside from his own personality and qualifications, but he didn't want to spend too much time jobless, mostly because he didn't want to be bored and he needed the income.

He had wandered idly through downtown until he found what he was looking for—the local investment firm. Sure, he knew he wouldn't be trusted with investment decisions or anything remotely important, but even _some_ money and the behind-the-scenes experience would be worth it, in his mind. He knew Vlad would frown on him doing so, but without him to back him up, Daniel had to figure out and do things on his own.

It had taken some convincing, primarily because he was young, and while he did appear to be quite respectable and competent, he didn't have the kind training (or paperwork) they would have liked. He had persisted for about an hour with the personnel director, and eventually was given a part-time job doing little things around the office, stupid things that anyone could do, but were usually too busy to deal with. It stung his pride a little, but he had to take it in stride.

With the dismal hourly rate and how few hours he was working per week, Daniel decided to look somewhere else for other part-time work. As the mall would be fairly deserted still, it being mid-morning, he figured that now would be a good time to go and get applications.

He wandered through the mall, and stopped in various stores to pick up application forms, looking over what would be expected of him and what the pay-rate would be. He finally settled on working in the large chain electronics store, which said that they would be able to hire him immediately should the management want to.

So he filled in all the blanks, handed in the paperwork, and loitered about for 15 minutes while they gave everything a cursory glance. He was taken in for an interview, used all his substantial skills, and walked out of the store after being told to show up on-time for orientation and training tomorrow before starting real "work" (even though he was still only a part-time employee) the day after.

Better hours, better pay. It still left his evenings and nights free.

As he had no curfew, no friends (currently), and there was no night-life to speak of, Daniel decided that filling in that time gap was also required.

He had idly stopped by a small, cheap, locally-run cafe and was sitting down at one of the outdoor tables, simply watching and listening as people passed by. The curses and frustration of a man sitting at the table next to him with about half-a-dozen empty coffee cups was beginning to both amuse and annoy Daniel, so he looked over at what the man was doing.

His eyebrows raised as he recognized the paperwork, so he stood up and walked over, sitting down next to the flustered man.

"The reason it isn't balancing right is because you forgot to add the 5 here," he murmured softly, tapping the square that contained the offending digit.

The man's head snapped up and looked suspiciously at Daniel, who merely shrugged. "My dad runs a business, too," he said in way of explanation. "He's usually busy doing other things, though, so I end up doing stuff like this as 'extra math practice'," he said in way of explanation, a small, unsure smile on his face.

"I see," came the slow reply.

"What kind of business are you running?" Daniel asked, intrigued at the columns of numbers and how _small_ the denominations seemed to be. Well, small to him.

"An arcade," came the hesitant reply.

Daniel's eyebrows raised marginally. "Don't they tend to be chain affairs?"

"Well, yeah, but they rely on local people to keep them running," the man groused.

Daniel nodded slightly. That made sense. A small frown made its way onto his face. "Why aren't you using a computer?"

The man flushed slightly and twirled the pencil in his hand. "I'm bad with computers."

"Yet you run an arcade."

The man's shoulders hunched slightly. "Games and computers are different."

Daniel paused, thinking. "Yes, you're right. They are."

The man looked astonished that Daniel agreed with him.

Daniel smiled slightly, knowing that he had the perfect way of filling up his evenings and nights now.

"Can I run an idea by you?"

"Sure..."

"I'm looking for some work. Right now, your time is being taken up doing administrative manners like this, when it really should be focused more on making the business attractive and interesting to players. Let _me_ handle these kinds of things—I'm good with computers and a fair hand with this kind of math. Pay me a decent hourly rate and I'll take care of these kinds of things for you."

The man looked absolutely astonished. "You would do something like that?"

Daniel nodded and gave him a reassuring smile.

The man was about to respond happily in the affirmative, but his common sense kicked in. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't; at least, not until you see my work."_ (you can _never_ be trusted; not with what you've done)_

The man smiled wryly. "You busy?"

"No."

"Then you have time for an interview."

"Of course." Daniel sat back in the chair, and gave the man a smile.

"Name?"

"Daniel Masters."

The man frowned. "You related to the Mayor?"

Daniel shook his head, even though he wanted to roll his eyes. Would _everyone_ ask that question? "No."

"Alright. Age?"

"18."

"What makes you think you'll be able to do the job you're signing up for?"

"Got through all of high school math, provided help like I would be doing with you in my father's business ventures. I know Java and HTML, can easily use the Windows Office suite along with a number of other programs, and have been told by numerous people on numerous occasions that I'm a fairly trustworthy individual."

The man chuckled softly at Daniel's last statement, as Daniel had hoped he would. "Do I have any contacts?"

Daniel sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, I can't give you any. I don't remember any phone numbers—I relied entirely on my cell phone's memory—and since my father kicked me out of the house when I told him I was putting off going to college to see what 'real life' is like I don't have access to a cell phone or _anything_. At least he was kind enough to send me off with enough money for a month's rent in a cheap apartment with some excess to buy food."

The man frowned. "That's not very fatherly."

"Our relationship is iffy at the best of times," Daniel replied dryly.

"I see. Well, then. I suppose I can go out on a limb and hire you."

Daniel perked up and a smile of pure gratitude played out across his face. "Thank you _so_ much."

The man waved away the reaction, even though Daniel could see he was pleased. "It's the least I can do to help. When are you available?"

"Well, I'm also running two other jobs...so...are evenings and nights okay? I can watch the arcade as well during that time. I'll just need a little help on weekends. Otherwise, I don't want you to spend too much time away from your family."

The man blinked, astonished. "How did--"

Daniel tapped his left hand's ring finger.

The man looked at the wedding band on it and laughed softly. "You're very observant."

"Thanks. Can I ask who exactly I'm going to be employed under?"

"I'm Mark Miller," the man said and extended his hand.

Daniel took it in his own and gave it a shake. "How much can you pay me per hour?"

"Not much, right now, unfortunately. I can manage eight an hour right now."

Daniel paused, then shrugged. He was getting minimum wage at ING and about the same as at the electronics place. "That's fine."

"You're not going to haggle?"

"Why bother? You need to see the quality of my work first."

Really, Daniel was just too lazy. He'd never actually _had_ a job before, so he didn't know what the norms were.

Mark made a soft sound of understanding and leaned back. "Well, I've got a quick way to check that."

Daniel raised his eyebrows. Oh?

Mark pushed the papers and pencil towards him. "Check and finish this for me."

Daniel smiled and chuckled softly.

He wasn't a fast worker by any sense, but he _was _thorough. He had learned to be so after a number of unpleasant consequences resulting from sloppiness, both in real life and in his ghost escapades.

When he finished he pushed the paper over to Mark, who looked it over, eyebrows raising in surprise. "You really _are _good."

Daniel gave him a grin of pleased embarrassment.

"Fine. When can you start?"

"How's tonight?"

Mark looked even more surprised. "Seriously?"

"I still haven't gotten all the furnishings I'll need to live in my new apartment." Though why he wanted them when he wasn't sure how long he'd be here was beyond him. He assumed it was because he liked to live comfortably anymore.

"My arcade is the one that recently opened in the new strip-mall. Think you can find it?"

"Of course," Daniel replied smoothly. "And if I can't, I'm sure people can direct me to it."

Mark nodded in agreement. "Fine."

Daniel pushed away and finished whatever he had ordered (it had been the cheapest item on the menu) before retuning the actual ceramic cup inside, walking away from the small cafe.

He was, in a way, looking forward to starting to work at the arcade. Sure, he was an absentee manager of a few small businesses in his home time-line, but now he would be _working_ in one, hands-on. It would be...different from what he was used to. Give him a better appreciation for the people whose livelihoods he'd end up controlling.

He felt the person beside him starting to wake and felt that he had probably pretended to be unconscious for long enough to be able to sit up and look disoriented. He sat up and watched the battle intently, fascinated. True, this halfa was weaker, physically, but _damn_ was he fast. He would have to work on adding that to his own skills. Speed would give him the extra boost that he needed to be able to take down that one ghost who was still a thorn in his side...

As he watched the battle, other people began to gain their bearings as well, the movement in the corner of their vision making their heads whip to face it. They exclaimed in surprise and began to throw cheers and jeers at the two battling ghosts, causing the spider-ghost to become both confused and enraged.

Daniel smirked slightly. This self was also incredibly lucky. This ghost was easily disoriented by an overabundance of sound, which made it weaker, allowing one to get in hits one would be unable to otherwise. He figured it would take more hits for this self to bring it down, as he was physically weaker, but the speed and surprising amount of stamina would probably let him do so.

This self seemed a little dim, but he seemed to catch on pretty quickly as to the cause of the drastic decrease in abilities. Again, there was that wave of nauseous disgust as the Ghostly Wail was used and Daniel couldn't help but applaud as the other civilians cheered, a small smile on his face. This self was still in desperate need of guidance and training...but he seemed to do well enough on his own. He _did_ need to learn how to duplicate himself, though. With how he has to protect not only himself but others as well, knowing that skill would be particularly worthwhile.

Of course, it wasn't as if he could go up to him and say, "Hi, I'm a future self from an alternate time-line and I'm going to teach you how to duplicate yourself so I can stop having to cover for you." It would provoke an interesting reaction, but common sense and self-preservation kept him from doing that.

He watched as the ghost was sucked up into the Fenton Thermos and stood, brushing himself off. That was _another_ thing this Danny should learn—how to directly make portals into the Ghost Zone. That would save _so_ much time and weight, as he wouldn't have to worry about carrying around the bulky piece of equipment. Again, though, not something he could simply waltz up to his younger self and tell him.

Ah, well. He had learned this Ghostly Wail on his own, so that meant he wasn't stupid_ (sick)_. He had also seen this self use ice energy, so it said that their skills mirrored each other almost exactly. He assumed he would have some skills this Danny didn't and vice versa, but they _did_ happen to be the same person.

He couldn't help the amused huff that escaped him as he regarded the teen floating in the air. He would enjoy being the observer in this time-line. Maybe...it would show him what he _could_ have been had he not made that one...mistake.

Not that it mattered anymore.

That was in the past...

And now, so was he.

--

He had never _really_ been one for arcades. Too much noise and too little light, especially in one like where he was working, where the majority of the light was only the ambient light given off by all the machines. It was just a little disconcerting. He had no problem with it, given that his half-ghost genes allowed him to see almost perfectly in the dark, but the non-white light was occasionally disorienting. Especially when it flickered over moving people.

Daniel stood in a discreet corner and played idly with the cell phone he had gained possession of, downloading a few games. It was a fairly slow night, but he had expected nothing less. Friday night actually tended to be so—people had other plans than hanging out at a new arcade. Nearly everyone cleared out somewhere around 11, even though the place would be open until 1. Technically 2, since he would leave the gate mostly up as he got everything in order before truly closing down. He walked and pulled over a chair and sat down in the entrance, closing his new cellphone with the snap of a wrist before slipping it into his pocket.

The time since the attack had been spent in a useful fashion—he had done information gathering. The people who were euphoric over being saved by Danny Phantom were all too happy to tell him of his exploits.

They were fairly significant.

The most surprising being the addition of _Jazz_ to his little ghost-hunting group. He wondered when she figured it out...

He and this Danny had run into many of the same ghosts, albeit in different ways—they had both met Frostbite, but _Daniel_ had actually looked for the ghostly being when he discovered his ice powers by using them when in a desperate battle, unlike this Danny, who seemed to have no ice energy one moment and then return with it to defeat Undergrwoth. At least, he _assumed_ Danny was trained by Frostbite. The manner in which he used his ice powers said so, but...

The discovery of his own ice powers had been quite the unpleasant shock. Having heard of Frostbite, he had gone to see him...and was trained. The ghost had been more than happy to help.

The only one he hadn't come across was Nocturne, but many people didn't know all the details to that particular battle. Being asleep for most of it probably had something to do with it.

But...Prince Aragon, Hotep-Ra, Undergrowth, Vortex...all those he had met, and, on numerous occasions, had fought. Add to that another 3 years of finding all sorts of interesting ghosts to have altercations with, and, well...there was a good reason why he was stronger than this Danny.

Daniel's ghost sense went off and he frowned. He looked up at the sky and rolled his eyes.

The stupid vultures. He still didn't regret what he did to them.

Still...whenever Vlad used them it was cause for concern. While they might not be the brightest beings on the face of the planet/ghost zone, they were diligent, stubborn, and almost as resilient against damage as the Box Ghost (another creature that he didn't mind not having to deal with anymore). He looked around and covertly created a double of himself and sent it to follow silently, invisibly, after the three pests.

He stood with a sigh and began to putter, picking up a broom and starting to sweep the accumulated dirt and trash out of the corridors. He yelped when he felt a phantom blow hit him and snapped his connection with his clone, making it vanish. What the _hell_ could have caused that?

Daniel closed his eyes and let the information that the clone had experienced recoil into him, making him wince with the abrupt appearance. _That_ was why he never liked using clones as much as his foster-father did—if they were discovered and you had to abruptly call them off, the knowledge hit you like a punch to the gut. Expect it was mental. Which made it worse.

His eyebrows raised fractionally. He thought he was better than that. Then again, his foster-father had always been perceptive, and with the long-distance connection, Daniel wasn't able to control it as much as he would have liked. At least, while being that far away from him he also didn't look anything like his true half-ghost appearance. The farther his clone got, the weaker the connection became, so it became something closer to a shadow than an actual humanoid entity. Still...

That had _hurt_.

Daniel absently rubbed his cheek as he finished throwing out all the trash.

His double had followed the vultures for a while silently, even though he _really_ wanted to freeze their ecto-tail-feathers. However, that would have given away his position, and Daniel wished to avoid that, being as he was very carefully invisible. They eventually descended into a forest, vanishing into the thick woods. Daniel had hesitated. He was getting awfully far, so his powers wouldn't be at full strength should he continue much further. Already he was much weaker than he would like.

He shrugged after a long moment before diving into the thick tree-cover. He slunk through the shadows, losing his cohesiveness as he went along, becoming more shadow and less clone. He stuck his head around a tree and gave a short yelp when he got a purple ecto-blast to the face, which dispelled the last of his power, returning the energy and memories to the original Daniel.

Daniel pulled down the gate slightly, a warning that the place would be closed soon and forced himself to concentrate on the rest of the closing procedure, knowing that handling money in such an uncertain thing as this kind of business _mattered_.

He finally closed the gate behind him at 2AM and sighed. To think it was only his second day in this time...

He still had on clue what he was doing here, or where he was _supposed_ to have gone. This wasn't _his_ past, so he didn't have to worry about getting rid of himself, but it was still odd to see a younger him, one that had apparently gotten through the...incident...whole. He didn't even have to wonder whether or not he and Danny would ever interact with each other—he just _knew_ they would. Because, afterall, how can one _not_ be drawn to oneself?

He had much that needed considering, though. He slipped the keys into his pocket after closing and locking everything up, fingering them idly as he walked through the slightly muggy near-summer night.

First thing being the presence of his family and friends. He had only briefly met Sam and Tucker, but at the time he had been more focused on the sudden appearance of his younger self to care about them. Again, as with this time's Danny, he'd probably run into them through one means or another. He didn't know _why_...he just...knew. He had a feeling he'd be able to deal with their presence relatively easily. They had been close, and their loss had _hurt_ (especially Sam's, though he wouldn't have admitted that to himself during the time after the...), but he was capable of surviving without them. His family, though...

_That_ was still a sluggishly bleeding open wound. Especially because he had let them down by taking a short-cut to success (which might be why he insisted on doing _most_ things legally in his business ventures...).

He sighed softly and shook his head slowly, the deserted street holding a kind of eerie comfort. Here, though...in _this_ timeline...his family was still alive. He had briefly met Jazz, but his confusion and annoyance with suddenly finding himself in Amity Park at an indeterminate point, either in the past, present, or future, had kept him from feeling the full impact of his sister's presence. He wasn't certain whether or not he actually wanted to run into his family.

Daniel shuddered as the look of horror, pain, terror, disbelief and...disapproval...he had seen on everyone's faces before..._that_...unfolded in his mind. His hand found its way over his heart and grasped the cloth lightly, a brief flicker of pain crossing his features as a mocking laugh echoed softly in his mind.

No.

He couldn't afford to let himself think like this.

He was _stronger_ now. He wouldn't allow his past to weigh him down_ (siiiick). _

He stopped walking, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, composing himself. When he opened his eyes again, he had regained his steely calm. It didn't matter. The people here...they weren't _his_ parents. They were Daniel _Fenton's_ parents.

Not Daniel _Master's_.

He couldn't entirely help how his shoulders hunched against the memories that threatened to rise to the surface as he walked, retreating to the comfort of the walls he had built around his heart to keep from falling back into the deep depression that he had been fighting off ever since the...


	4. Information Gathering

Author: A huge thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, and story plus-d. My motivation remains strong with your approval and suggestions and comments help me pick out weaknesses in the story.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and associated characters do not belong to me. Alas.

**Chapter 4**

Daniel looked up from the laptop he was idly typing on, hearing three more people come in. He made

three strike marks under the 9PM-10PM slot on the sheet of paper next to him. Business was slowly picking up as the night progressed. No-one had been here until roughly 7.30PM and now there was a growing sample that Daniel was keeping track of. He was watching what machines were played the most often, what ages groups played them, and a number of other factors.

Now that he had (partially) adopted the establishment as his own, he was beginning to seek ways to make it better and draw in more customers. He'd have to go and look through the other arcades nearby and in a few surrounding towns, just to get a feel for what the a "normal" arcade contained, and what an "exceptional" arcade had.

He was already pondering finding a way to introduce food and drink vending machines. He remembered that the presence of such was tempting to those walking along the boardwalks of the beaches of New Jersey. The food and drink would draw them in and the games would make them stay. It was a pretty good set-up, at least in _his_ mind.

When the voices of the three who had just entered drifted over to him his hand tightened slightly on the pencil before he forced it to relax.

They weren't _his_ Sam and Tucker. His Sam and Tucker were dead.

"This new place isn't all that bad," he heard Tucker say.

He tried his best to wrench his attention away from the young geek's voice, but found himself paying attention.

_To check for quality_, Daniel justified to himself. _Tucker always had the best intuition when it came to games (but that didn't keep him from dying because of _you)_._

Daniel saved the management file he had been working on and closed the laptop. He didn't want to be visible by the light of the computer. It would draw attention to him, as Tucker would be interested in the model, and his face would be vaguely familiar to them. He would put off their meeting until he heard something worthwhile that he needed more clarification on.

He sat back in the folding chair and watched the trio as they passed through the ambient light of the different machines, while also keeping an eye on the other customers.

He was distracted from Tucker's dialogue as he heard an extended clink of coins coming out of the change machine. It was going on far too long for them to be simply getting change for whatever bill they had put in. His eyes narrowed and he stood fluidly, walking silently over to the two stooping over the change machine. He stood behind them and watched for a minute before coughing politely as a way to announce his presence.

The two whirled and Daniel gave them an even, calm look that was followed by the most malignant of smirks.  
"What are you doing?" he asked loud enough for his voice to carry through the arcade, getting a few people's attention.

Nervousness flashed briefly through one of the potential thief's eyes before giving Daniel and innocent look. "Just collecting our change."

"Mm," he replied. "You _do_ know that the machine takes nothing more than a 20 and I'd hazard to guess you have at least a 50 in that little bag of yours," he told them and leaned in slowly, his movements languid as he reached out for the bag.

One of the thieves, the one without the money, began to bolt, but Daniel's arm moved faster than the thief would have thought, catching him by the back of his shirt before his other hand caught the bag on the back of the other retreating thief's back and yanked backwards, making the thief sprawl on the floor.

He had ignored the other's squirming, his hand placed in just the part where no matter how hard the thief tried to reach, he was unable to get to his wrist.

Daniel let go of the shirt, making the boy stumble, then spin, looking at Daniel with wide eyes.

"Now, I'm going to be _nice_ tonight," he told them calmly, eyes and voice cold, swinging the coin-heavy bag onto his shoulder, "and _not_ report you to the police. I just want you to remember this one thing: I catch you trying to make off with cash from here ever again, I'll break your wrists and _then_ call the police."

Daniel wasn't joking. Those martial arts lessons Vlad had bullied him into taking had their applications.

The two ran away, terrified, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair before turning back to the change machine.

"Now, how did they get around you?" he murmured, ignoring the looks he was receiving. There was a general feeling of a shrug from those who had noticed before activity went back to normal.

Daniel decided, after ten minutes of looking over the machine, that it would be a task best dealt with when there weren't other things to worry about, like other customers. He threw a cloth over the broken change machine and put up an "out-of-order" sign. He stepped back from his handiwork and rubbed the back of his neck.

Well, that had been taken care of easily enough.

He went back to his small "desk" and marked that two more people had entered before moving away and beginning to discreetly make his way around the arcade. Most players hadn't seen him—just heard his voice. Therefore, in their eyes, he could be, and probably was, just another player. He stood for a while near the crane games, keeping track of who came to play them, which ones garnered the most attention, and which prizes were won the most. The shooting games gave him a different demographic, as did the racing ones, puzzle games, games of chance, and physical action-oriented games (such as DDR, Guitar Hero and the like).

It was _fascinating._

He slipped back to his observation point and picked up his laptop before sitting on the fold-up chair. It wasn't comfortable by any means, but it kept him awake.

He was about to open the laptop, but hesitated, hearing the Tucker's voice drift his way. Perhaps he had something to say about the selection.

He did.

It left Daniel wavering. There were a few points that Tucker applauded—namely, the variety—but there were also a lot of things that, according to the techno-geek, left a lot to be desired. In other words, the arcade had breadth but not depth. Daniel assumed that most arcades would be content with one or the other, but that wasn't enough for him—living with Vlad had ground the need for perfection into him. Especially because Vlad wouldn't accept anything _but_ perfection, and as Daniel unfortunately had to deal with his living arrangements as they were, he had to adapt.

He sat back in his chair, fingers tapping idly on the still-closed laptop. How would he figure out how to make the arcade better in that sense? Perhaps finding the most popular/best in each category that they carried?

He watched the trio exit and sighed softly. Not yet. _He_ wasn't ready to face them _(coward sick stupid)_.

His ghost sense went off and he scowled. If it was here, there was only one ghost it could _possibly_ be.

"Stupid Technus," he growled softly, darkly.

When the ghost's face began to appear on the screens of the games, he calmly walked over to the master switch and flicked it off, sending the already dim room into total darkness. Daniel conjured a number of ghostly lights and sent them off, making pathways to the exit, which the citizens gladly followed, albeit a little nervously. Once he was sure all the citizens were out of the arcade, he dispelled the energy and walked over to a plug, taking it out of the main power-strip. The cord belonged to one of the more finicky games—one that no-one played. Daniel didn't mind frying it.

He put his hand over it and sent a shock of ghostly energy through it, and _pulled_, dragging Technus out of the electric grid, noting idly that it was _his_ Technus. The ghost of electronics floated, disoriented, above Daniel, giving him time to create a portal into the Ghost Zone.

Before the ghost could entirely gain his bearings, Daniel shoved him into the Ghost Zone, closing the portal behind him. He sighed and dodged an ectoplasmic beam, vanishing into the darkness and slipping through the machines to the circuit breaker. A soft glow told him his younger self was currently loitering about, but he didn't really care.

He closed his eyes and flicked everything back on all at once.

He heard a small yelp that signified his younger self going partially blind, for even though the light wasn't much, it _was_ different from total darkness.

"Is someone there?" Daniel asked 'nervously'. When he received no answer he let his eyes slowly open, having adjusted to the change in light levels. Daniel walked slowly through the arcade, checking to see if anyone really _was_ there. When he was certain no-one was, he heaved a small sigh, shoulders slumping. He had forgotten how _active_ Amity Park was. Sure, his own home was a hub of ghostly activity, but it seemed just so much more _troublesome_ to deal with the ghosts here.

No-one returned, but he was pretty certain that everything would be fine the next day. There was a perverse human fascination with going places that were potentially hazardous to their health. He had it too, a little, but had also gained a sense of self-preservation that had come from getting smacked around when he _did_ trespass.

Daniel closed up at 1AM to be able to tinker with the change machine. If he couldn't fix it—and he doubted he would be able to—he would, unfortunately, have to call in someone to repair it. That was _frustrating_ because they didn't have a lot of money to spare as of the moment, but if they wanted to _make_ money, they had to be able to change bills into coins.

He grumbled a number of uncomplimentary things about the machine, but eventually _did _manage to figure out how the two would-be petty thieves had figured out how to get more than they put in. It was ingeniously simple, and Daniel packed it away for later examination. _He_ would never use it, but knowing and recognizing the signs of tampering would probably be a worthwhile skill to have.

He finally left at around 3AM, stretching and sighing.

So.

He had seen his former friends from afar. Had heard their voices. _Knew_ they were alive. But...

It hurt more and less than he had thought it would. More because it made him realize how few friends he had in general, and less because they weren't _his_ friends. They were _this_ world's Danny's friends. He had nothing (well, almost nothing) in common with them anymore.

Daniel huffed softly and a small smile formed on his face, his mind drifting to the few people he had come to consider "friends" in his own time-line.

He wondered idly if he would ever see them again

_(nope)_.

--

Daniel sighed and looked at himself in the mirror. After seeing Danny in his human form, he had decided that they looked alike. However, the years and his different experiences had changed him into someone that _resembled_ Danny Fenton, yet wasn't _quite_ him. If stood next to each other, they would look _related_, but not the same person.

He had hit his growth spurt and was now a little bit taller than Vlad—he had acquired his father's height, but, thankfully, not his bulk. His eyes were more distant than his younger self's, more cautious, weighing, and, he hated to say it, cruel. The awkward lankiness of his body was almost entirely gone, especially because of the training he put himself through. His voice was deeper, he carried himself differently, he dressed differently than this time's Danny, and with the new hair cut he had gotten yesterday...

Sure, the might look almost exactly alike from behind or when glanced at quickly, but the minute Daniel turned and spoke, the illusion would be broken.

Brothers?

Possibly.

Cousins?

More likely.

He had been _astonished_ at the changes in his ghost form. He had expected that there would be some, as his last name, and therefore a bit of himself, had been altered, but he hadn't expected quite as much as what had happened.

Instead of his normal black/silver motif, he sported a black/red one. It was...eerie. It really made him look more malignant than he truly was _(oh really now?)_, especially with the addition of the cape (black on the outside, red on the inside). His hair had stayed the same color, but instead of only his irises being bright green, his entire eye was filled with the same unearthly green glow. It made him nervous, but he wondered idly why he hadn't expected it—something had taken pains to make sure no-one connected the dots quickly.

Clockwork?

Maybe.

Perhaps it was an effect of whatever he had traveled and fallen through?

Also a possibility.

He couldn't be certain.

In any event, it was...interesting.

He looked at the calendar on his wall and sighed. It had already been a week and he hadn't the foggiest idea of what he was supposed to be _doing_. He hated not having direction in his life. Sure, it was a welcome break from being connected with and to Vlad, so people didn't act nervous or watch their words around him.

Well, they _should_ watch their words, but he was happy the nervousness was gone.

He grabbed his light jacket and slipped his arms into it before exiting, closing and locking the door automatically behind him.

Did he have _any_ clues as to what he was supposed to be doing?

He slipped his hands into his pockets as he exited the building, absently turning the events of the past week over in his mind, as well as what he had discovered through eavesdropping, research, and conversations.

Ghost attacks were a fairly normal occurrence here, which didn't surprise him—why should it? His life was intertwined with ghosts too much for them not to be drawn to him, no matter where, when, or who he was. Most people appreciated the presence of Danny Phantom, although there were still a number who distrusted, or just plain _disliked,_ the boy.

_His parents being among them,_ Daniel thought, a small smile flickering across his face.

He couldn't really think of _this_ Danny as being _him_. They were far from the same person. It was always a little odd to see an old photograph of himself walking around and interacting with people, but he figured that the uneasiness and surprise would fade eventually.

He still hadn't met his family, though, which was a _very_ good thing. If one of their ghost-hunting gadgets turned on him, he couldn't use the excuse of being their son to call them off, since, in this world, he _wasn't._

It wasn't as if he couldn't lie his way out of it, though. He might not be as good as Vlad, but he was probably good enough to get out of his birth-parents' grasp.

Actually, he hadn't interacted with any of the members of his past on a personal level at all. It was a relief and a source of anxiety. He _had_ to know if he could make them think he was someone other than the former Daniel Fenton, now, apparently, Daniel Masters, but at the same time he was too lazy _(cowardly) _to seek them out. It would be...odd, anyway.

Vlad had become Mayor only recently, and it was apparently because of something _this_ Danny did. In a way, he wasn't surprised. If he hadn't moved into Vlad's life and had his mother not died, he could easily see Vlad moving here, if only to be closer to the "love of his life".

Daniel would say that it would be better to say _money_ was the love of his life, but when he had told his foster-father_ that _he had been tossed into the Ghost Zone with the Portal's door slammed in his face. Thankfully, he had befriended Frostbite by that point and the Inifimap had gotten him out of the situation rather quickly, much to his Vlad's dismay.

With only a little bit of effort he had managed to gain access to the school system's mainframe, and had looked idly through this self's grades, and had been highly amused. It was as he expected it would be. When given the opportunity, he slacked, and since there was no Vlad on _this_ Danny's case, he wasn't surprised that the grades were lower than his own tended.

He had also been amused to see how much collateral damage his younger self racked up. He was glad he hadn't been living in Amity Park—the taxes must be _murder_ with how much the school budget had to stretch to cover damage costs. _Vlad's also probably taking a substantial portion for himself, too_, Daniel idly thought to himself.

He felt that he should probably spend a day at Casper High, if only for nostalgia _and_ to get a feel for the current climate that was influencing this self's actions. He'd have to be _very_ careful, though. He didn't think this self could sense half-ghosts, but he needed to be prepared for that possibility.

_As well as any of a billion other ones_, he sighed to himself. _Like not reacting when people call 'Danny!' They don't mean _me.

It was slightly depressing.

He had also done a few searches on the current political and economic climates, as well as some recent world and national news, and all of it was depressingly familiar.

He exited his apartment complex, and he decided that he would go pay a...visit...to his old high school the next day. This Friday he had off from both ING and the electronics store...might as well.

The smallest of smirks spasmed across his face before it fell back into the neutral, pleasant expression that was expected.

--

Daniel was having an unholy amount of fun.

This self couldn't sense him either, which made things so much easier for him. Oh, he wasn't petty enough to pull pranks on this self—he had at least _that_ much respect for the teen—but that didn't exempt the rest of the student and teacher population.

It was never anything big. Just little, vicious things that would happen occasionally anyway, just through some bad luck. Or, good luck, depending on whom you spoke to.

Daniel could see that this self suspected that _maybe_ something might be up, but as Daniel was more interested in watching him and his interactions than performing little inane tricks, the concern was pushed aside when Daniel's tricks subsided.

Daniel was quite content to sit with them during lunch and just listen:

"Things have been pretty hard for you of late," Sam said, brows furrowed slightly at how Danny was still nursing a cut on his arm.

('That must've come from _him_...nothing else takes that long to heal.')

Danny nodded. "It's...frustrating! I don't know _where_ these guys are coming from but they're stronger than anything else! I mean, it's getting to be even more frustrating than the frootloop!"

(Daniel ruthlessly suppressed a snicker.)

Tucker shrugged and put away his PDA in favor for the consumption of a sloppy joe. "Still, you're getting stronger, right?"

"See, that's the thing!" Danny half-exclaimed, half-growled. "I don't think I _am_."

"How can you beat all those guys, then?"

"I dunno...it's like...remember that spider-ghost?"

The two nodded.

"And the armored one?"

Another nod.

"I...I didn't defeat the armored one, and you _know_ it. Someone else did! And none of us ever really saw whomever did it. Then, with the spider ghost...I..." Danny's shoulders slumped, "it wasn't _me_ who released you from the stuff it caught everyone in."

"What?" Sam asked, and frowned.

(Daniel was astonished. Had _he_ ever been this open with _his_ Sam and Tucker?)

"I don't know _how_ it happened," Danny continued, "but all I know is that I was fighting the ghost and suddenly there's a soft glow from behind me and I turn and the stuff had faded entirely, leaving everyone free. I..._couldn't_ have done that. I didn't have any idea how I would have gotten you guys out—I figured that I would deal with that once the spider-ghost was down."

"So who would have released us?" Tucker asked around a mouthful of ground beef.

"That's the thing!" Danny said, exasperated. "I don't _know_. Plasmius wouldn't."

"Maybe it was a timed thing?" Sam offered.

Danny hesitated.

('He knows that isn't right. He doesn't know _how_ he knows, but he knows that it wasn't timed.')

"Maybe," came the answer after a long pause. "It's just..." Danny sighed. "It's _weird_. The other thing is that even the ghosts I _know_ seem to change between being stronger and weaker more than usual. The one that _really_ makes me wonder, though, is what happened at that arcade."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that when I got there, Technus was _already gone_. Not in the simple 'became invisible and flew off' thing! He wasn't in the _human world_ anymore." Danny grimaced. "I think there's a new ghost out there, but I can't tell you if it's trying to help me or is just playing with me."

('_Both.'_)

The three looked between each other nervously. New, mysterious ghosts tended to be bad things.:

Conversation gradually turned away from ghosts to more mundane things like schoolwork, but Daniel never moved from his seat. _This_ self was interesting, was _different_.

That he also missed his friends and the kind of easy banter that they were having was also what drove him to stay where he was, but he would never admit that to himself.

The end of the period bell rung and Daniel stayed where he was, watching Danny and his friends meander off sullenly to their next class period. He waited until the cafeteria was completely empty before standing, allowing a small sigh to escape his lips, remaining invisible.

_Might as well stay for the rest of the day,_ he thought and the corners of his mouth twitched up in a brief smile. He didn't have to be at work for a while, afterall...

--

School culture in Amity Park was much different than the one at his home, but Daniel had expected no less. Afterall, there tended to be a significant difference between a private school and a public school, and it happened to be more than just the price tag. It probably also had something to do with the change of region. Sure, they weren't _terribly_ far away, but it was enough for there to be a different local cultural climate.

Daniel sat on top of the school and watched the various sports teams practice, thinking. Here, he was still very much the social outcast. He still had only two _real_ friends—Sam and Tucker—but he had gotten closer to Valerie than _he_ had ever managed to. It was...interesting.

He still had issues with the jocks, but his crush of Paulina had faltered to the point that even _this_ self was realizing how much he liked Sam.

He had never really let anyone as close as he had let Sam and Tucker since...

He heaved himself to his feet and sighed. He _wasn't_ an adult—well, legally he _was_, but that was beside the point. He was too _young_ to think these kinds of things petty. He supposed it was only because he was an observer—he was pretty certain that if he was caught up in the drama himself that it would be a completely different story. Daniel watched for a moment longer before a small, faint, sad smile formed on his face.

No!

The smile faded quickly to be replaced by a scowl as he turned and flickered into invisibility. Suddenly being forced to live in the past made ignoring it ten times harder than it had any right to be. He jumped off the building and into the sky, taking off quickly, letting the wind whistle through his ears while he kept his invisibility wrapped around him.

He landed in the back of the arcade and leaned against the wall, growling softly to himself. This wasn't his past. His past couldn't be changed.

This _wasn't_ his past.

These people wouldn't, _couldn't_, know him. Daniel Masters _didn't exist here_. He was a fabrication from an alternate future brought here to help accomplish _something_.

He took a number of deep breaths, trying to exert his steely self-control again. Couldn't give in, couldn't give in, _couldn't give in_.

He didn't want to sink in that hole again. Didn't want to become _that_ person again. He gripped his chest, allowing a pained look to flicker across his face, and he glanced briefly at his wrists before he shook himself physically.

He wasn't that weak, pathetic, boy anymore _(it's not good to lie to yourself, Danny)_.

He was Daniel Masters.

He was slowly becoming a presence in the economic world in his home time-line, and he was living alone and helping _run_ a business in this one. He wasn't like _that_ anymore.

His scowl smoothed over and he walked around the building, slipping in the side entrance where the tiny office that held the administrative matters of the small shop were conducted.

Mark looked up when Daniel entered and gave him a wry smile as he waved the papers that Daniel had left on his desk before leaving the night before as Daniel sat.

"I don't know _how_ you do it," he was told.

Daniel laughed and gave his employer an easy smile. "It's not that hard," he replied, leaning back in the chair he was situated in.

"I'm impressed anyway," Mark replied, flipping through the sheets that Daniel had created for him. "These are really professional-grade and hella easy to read."

"Again, I had some practice with my father's businesses..."

_Admittedly, the numbers had been much bigger, but it was the same in principle_, Daniel thought idly. "We're not _making_ money, but we aren't _losing_ it either," Daniel said. "Think I can get you to go a little into debt to buy a snack machine and a soda one?"

Mark looked pensive. "Why would you want those?"

"So that instead of going down the street to the 7-11 they could get something here, and so probably spend more time and money here."

Mark thought and Daniel waited patiently for his answer.

"Fine. I'll see what I can do," the man said after a long moment. "Just have to clear everything with HQ first—they won't let us do _anything_ unless they run it through miles of red-tape."

Daniel snickered slightly. He knew _exactly_ how the system worked and found it just as frustrating. Now he would have experienced it from both the manager's perspective and one of the person running the small business. He might even know a few ways that might expedite the acquisition of the vending machines that didn't even involve large sums of money.

"I'll figure out how much everything will cost and then I'll get back to you on it. By the way, one of the machines died."

"Oh? Which one?"

Daniel shrugged. "Not an important one. For as long as I've been observing no-one's even touched it, and that was even before it stopped working."

"Mm. I'll have to have someone take a look at it. Maybe we can salvage it..."

"Or we can just scrap it and buy a new one. It would probably cost the same."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Who runs this place?"

Daniel flushed slightly and looked away. "Sorry."

The man laughed and put a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "Relax, kid. Everything that you're saying is making sense. I just find it funny that you've taken such an interest even though it's just a part-time thing for you."

Daniel fidgeted slightly. "It's more like a _real _job than anything else I've ever had. So, I want to see it succeed..."

Mark smiled kindly and patted Daniel's shoulder before making a shooing motion. "You've worked hard without any real breaks. Relax today. Even if you just _sleep_ until tomorrow morning. You look like you need the rest."

Daniel shrugged and returned the smile with an amused one of his own, even if it _did_ seem a little uneasy. "Fine. Don't blame me when your family gets pissed at you for staying out too late."

Mark laughed as Daniel stood. Daniel saw the man idly shake his head in amusement as he, Daniel, walked out the door, closing the flimsy piece of reinforced aluminum behind him.

An entire day off, huh? Even at home that was a rare occurrence. He supposed he should relish the experience.

Daniel walked idly along the street, straightening his jacket absently. Perhaps he would do as Mark suggested and just pass out until he had to get up for his work at ING the next morning.

Or maybe he would be unlucky and end up caught up in a battle between Danny Phantom and Skulker. Either worked.

Not.

Daniel ended up catching his younger self while being simultaneously slammed into a wall. It made him voice a yelp of pain, before he scowled at Skulker.

"Just hand the child over, human, and no-one gets hurt," the hunter told him, landing on the ground, jet-pack being pulled into the armored suit.

Daniel looked at the halfa in his arms and his eyes widened when, after a brief struggle to retain consciousness, the boy passed out, reverting to his human half.

_Well, this will be an interesting conversation later._

Daniel placed Danny down and knelt in front of him, protecting the boy with his body, one hand resting flat against the pavement. A wicked smile slowly bloomed on his face, eyes narrowing almost maliciously. "You should watch yourself before threatening _me._"

"What?"

It was _so_ satisfying to see the unsuspecting ghost drop into the portal Daniel had created at his feet. He closed it quickly behind the mechanical creature and sighed, turning to look at his injured, unconscious, younger self. There was the briefest of debates in his head before he turned entirely and slipped his hands beneath the teen's neck and knees, picking him up effortlessly.

Right now, Danny needed to recover, and as _Daniel_ didn't want to meet his family quite yet, that meant he would be temporarily hosting this younger self.

Daniel sighed and vanished, invisibility slipping over him as he took to the sky to complete the final leg of his journey home.


	5. Conversations

**Author:** Thank you all _so_ much for reviewing and reading. I was astonished at the overwhelming positive response I received on the last chapter. I only hope that this chapter lives up to your expectations.

**Disclaimer:** ha ha not mine

**Chapter 5**

Daniel had his ghost shield up around his apartment (a neurotic precaution that he had picked up from living with Vlad), so he knew Danny was up when he heard a yelp and a thud, which meant that the teen had become ghost and tried to phase through either the wall or the ceiling. He continued to idly stir the sauce he was making as the teen continued to attempt to find a way out, invisible.

"I suggest you stop whatever you're doing before you _really_ get hurt," Daniel said dryly when he heard a particularly pained yelp, putting down his spatula and turning off the heat, "And anyway, a 'thank you' and a 'goodbye' would be nice. I _could_ have just left you out there for that mechanical whatever to have its wicked way with you."

"You wouldn't!" Danny protested, slightly panicked, immediately becoming visible, looking very much like a cornered animal of some sort. Normally this would have been pleasing to Daniel, but as he didn't want to terrify Danny or even _want_ anything from him that he wasn't willing to give, it was actually quite annoying.

"I assume you're feeling better," he said, changing the topic, "if you're trying to find a way out of my apartment."

Danny blinked and rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-yeah. Um..."

Daniel waited. He could afford to, as he was older, stronger, and Danny couldn't get out no matter how hard he tried. Daniel was also nearly finished making dinner, and wanted to try it out on someone else. _He_ thought it tasted decent, but that didn't mean it actually _was_ good.

When the silence grew too long, Daniel spoke again: "I've seen you change from one appearance to another, and _now_ you've appeared out of thin air before me. Care to explain what all that means?"

When only silence met his request, Daniel shrugged and went back to cooking. As he drained the noodles, he felt more than saw Danny standing hesitantly in the conjoined living room, looking nervous.

"Well? Am I going to get an explanation or not?" he asked, only patience in his voice as he waved away the steam that wafted in his face.

Danny fidgeted, then asked, "What happened?" hoping to avoid the subject.

"I think _I_ deserve an explanation first," Daniel said as he took the meat-sauce off of the range, letting it cool slightly before taking a large bowl out of a much abused cabinet. "So? Who are you? _What_ are you? You're not leaving until I get answers."

Danny shifted from foot-to-foot nervously. "I'm...well..."

Daniel set the bowl of pasta/meat-sauce mix on what served as a kitchen table, plates, forks, and spoons appearing shortly afterwards.

"I said you weren't going to leave, but I'm not a jailer," Daniel said with a small, wry smile, and pulled out his chair, sitting down and gesturing for Danny to join him.

Danny slowly sat down and gave the pasta a wary look that Daniel couldn't help but laugh at.

"It's not drugged," Daniel said, smiling slightly. "I happen to be eating it as well."

Danny looked at Daniel, who gave him stare-for-stare.

Danny looked away first. "Why do you want to know? Why are you being so..._nice_?"

"I want to know because I'm _curious._ I've never met a someone like you before. As for why I'm being so kind..." Daniel shrugged. "You were beat up pretty badly. I couldn't just _leave_ you on the street, no matter what people may say about me _(too bad what they say is truth)_. You healed quickly, and I think this food will finish the job. You were out of it for a while, though—it _is_ dinner-time, afterall."

Danny glanced nervously at the clock, then back at Daniel, who gave him the smallest of predatory smiles. "Eat, explain, and then you can leave. You _do_ owe me, you know..."

Danny's stomach growled and Daniel's smile grew wider.

Eventually, the teen caved and began to eat voraciously.

After Danny had finished decimating the majority of the food, Daniel raised an eyebrow and sat back, arms crossing. "I've fed you, now explain."

Danny fidgeted, then sighed. "My name's Danny Fenton... My...well, there's this...thing, called the "Ghost Portal" that serves as a kind of...gate to the Ghost Zone, which is where ghosts live."

Daniel was tempted to say "Obviously," but kept it to himself.

"I...there was an accident...and I got ghost powers."

"Ghost powers," Daniel repeated, as if turning the words, and their possible meanings, over in his head.

He enjoyed watching his younger self squirm. "I assume that you don't want people to know of these powers of yours, since you tried to escape my apartment as soon as you woke."

Danny smiled nervously. Daniel wasn't reacting to the news like anyone else Danny knew.

"What exactly do these ghost powers _do_?"

"Well...uh...all kinds of things."

"Such as...?" Did he _really_ have to drag it out word by word?

"Well, ghost things."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "What are 'ghost things'?"

"Well...like things you see in the movies."

"I'm going to list off things I see in movies and you're going to tell me whether or not I'm right."

Danny hesitated, but slowly nodded.

"Flight."

A nod.

"Invisibility."

Another nod.

"Intangibility."

A third.

"Possession."

A hesitation that Daniel knew was a 'yes' even though his younger self didn't want to admit that he could take over people.

"So you can do all those things?"

"Yeah..."

Daniel paused, as if turning over the answers in his head before a smile slowly formed on his face. He had a unique chance before him—he could get to know a self who had, apparently, prevented the thing that had changed _his_ life forever. He had the opportunity to see what he _could_ have turned out like. Well. He was stuck here for the time being, so might as well get to know this younger, alternate self anyway. "What's it like, flying?"

Danny's eyes lit up and a smile graced his face. "Amazing."

Daniel leaned his face in a hand, and gave the boy a lop-sided smile. "How do you do it? What does it _feel_ like?"

Danny launched into a halting, often frustrated explanation of flight. Daniel loved flying, so he assumed this younger self felt much the same way (and was glad when he was right). He imagined that he, too, would be incapable of fully describing it to anyone and found his younger self's attempts amusing in that he shared the sense of exasperation when words failed to accurately describe the sensation.

"Have you ever taken advantage of the invisibility?" he asked when he saw Danny was becoming _too_ flustered.

"Yeah..." Danny was reluctant to admit, rubbing the back of his neck, looking surprisingly embarrassed, although obviously not minding the change in topics.

"Hm? Man, if I had invisibility in high school, there would have been no way to keep me from getting into the Girl's Locker Room," Daniel prompted, knowing that it would get his younger self to unwind partly.

_That_ provoked a grin out of Danny. "Okay, yeah, I _have_ done that."

"Anything else, though? It would have been useful for me on a number of occasions..."

"Oh?" Danny asked, eyebrows raising slightly, intrigued. "Like what?"

"Curfew, mostly. Being able to sneak in without my father noticing, and so avoid having to make lame excuses that got me in trouble anyway." He _had_ tried that, actually. Unfortunately, with a foster-father that was half-ghost, doing so was pretty much moot.

"Wish I could do that, but my parents are usually up at my curfew and watching to make sure that I'm home on time."

"Ouch."

"Yeah, it's annoying."

"Hm...what else could one use invisibility for?"

The two brainstormed uses of invisibility, and came up with a few that might actually be practical, as well as a number that just would fall somewhere between fun and absurd, Daniel subtly maneuvering Danny into helping him clean up after their dinner.

After deciding that it would highly entertaining to slip into clothes in department stores and walk around with them on but themselves invisible, Daniel paused and appeared thoughtful, which intrigued his younger self.

"Is intangibility useful for anything? I think it'd be a pain in the ass more than anything else."

"Well, it _has_ kept me from getting more hurt than I could," Danny replied, idly drying a dish. "Both from ghosts _and_ humans."

Daniel scowled faintly, remembering all too well what it felt like to be bullied before the mocking chuckle in his head reminded him he wasn't clear of that either.

"I'm glad I didn't have to deal with bullying once I moved," Daniel grumbled, tossing the silverware idly into a drawer without bothering to check if it was the right one or not.

"_You_ were bullied?"

Daniel looked at his younger self. "What, do I not seem the kind of person that would happen to?"

"I...don't know," Danny said, almost equally puzzled. "It's just that...I dunno," Danny ended, himself slightly puzzled. A frown slowly formed on his face. "Why am I talking to you about this stuff anyway? And why are you taking it so easily?"

"What? What _should_ I be doing?" Daniel asked, dryly curious. "It's not in my character to run screaming from something that intrigues me. As to why you're talking to me..." Daniel shrugged. "I think you need someone to."

"What?"

"I'm fairly objective, as of now. I only recently moved here, know nearly nothing of the history of this place, don't know much of what's happening now. I'm an outsider, someone who hasn't heard of these kinds of things before. I think you need someone to talk to who doesn't have any preconceived ideas of what talking to you should be like."

If only _he_ was afforded such anymore. Even if the other person he was speaking to didn't know anything about him, the moment his identity came up, their entire attitude and tone changed.

"Anyway, what's there _not_ to be interested in regarding ghost powers? Almost _everyone_ has at some time or another wanted to fly or become invisible or something. Just being able to talk with someone who actually _can_ is interesting," Daniel said, closing the cabinet after taking out two cups. "Do you want anything to drink?

"What? Oh. Um...water?"

"Done," he said and filled each glass with water from the tap. "So, aside from keeping you from getting hurt, has intangibility been useful for _anything_?"

"Well, it's gotten me out of doing any science experiments."

"Oh?"

"I'm banned from handling glass equipment at school."

"Why?"

"Because...I can't always control my powers, and especially immediately after I first got them..."

"I see. You seem to be in control of them now."

"Well, yeah. Anymore it's just when I'm really scared, surprised, or angry that things start acting outside my control."

"Ah..." Daniel had gently nudged Danny in the direction of his couch and sat down next to the younger teen after handing him his glass of water. He took a sip, then asked. "Can I see?"

"See what?"

"Your intangibility."

"How?"

"I dunno. Stick your hand through the couch or something. Just show me that you're not pulling my leg regarding all this stuff."

Danny looked briefly insulted that Daniel didn't entirely believe him, but acquiesced. He put down the glass of water before letting his hand continue to phase through the table, him touch the floor through the table before bringing his arm back up and turning it tangible again.

Daniel looked pensive for a moment before breaking out into a smile. "That's really cool."

Danny smiled back slightly, hesitantly. "You really _do_ react differently than I think anyone else would," he said.

"I've seen lots of odd things in my life. What you're talking about...what you can do...isn't scary or unnerving as much as just awesome."

Daniel paused for a moment, turning a question over in his head. That might be pushing his luck, but he wanted to see how this self reacted.

"Have you ever taken possession of a girl?"

Danny blinked and fidgeted. "I never said I had that power."

"You never said you didn't. Answer the question."

There was a long silence in which Daniel got bored enough to turn on the television. He gave the teen 5 minutes to think before reminding him, "You still haven't answered."

Danny sighed. "Fine. Yeah, I have."

"What was it like?" Daniel asked, turning off the TV.

"Well...not much different, really. It's not like I _become_ the girl—I just control their body."

"Ah, well. It'd be interesting knowing how a girl works. They're just so fucking _weird_..."

"Tell me about it," Danny groused. "There's this one girl that I just don't _get_."

"Oh? A love interest?"  
"N-No!"

"Uh-huh," Daniel said, giving his younger self a sly look, which only made him blush. That provoked a laugh out of Daniel, putting him on the receiving end of a scowl. "If she's not a love interest, then is she a friend?"

"Yeah."

"What's she like?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Why shouldn't I? You never know...a few years difference isn't so bad..."

"Hey!"

Daniel laughed at the shove he was given by his younger self. "Kidding, kidding. I'm just interested in what kind of friends you have with your powers. Do they know about them?"

"Yeah, she knows about my ghost powers."

"And?"

"And what?"

"What does she think of them?"

Danny paused, then shrugged. "She accepts them, thinks they're cool. She helps me when I go out ghost hunting."

"You have ghost powers yet you hunt other ghosts?"

"Well, yeah. People here can't really protect themselves from ghosts, so..."

"Mm. I dunno. I don't think I could do that anymore."

"Do what anymore?"

"I used to be very...involved...in the affairs of my hometown, but then I had to move and I kinda slipped out of practice doing stuff like that..."

"Oh. What did you do?"

"Community activism. Certainly not anything as big as saving the town from ghostly marauders."

Danny smiled in embarrassed pleasure.

"So, there's the girl," Daniel said, moving away from anything regarding his life. "Have any other friends?"

"Well, there's Tucker. We've known each other since we were in kindergarten, and are really good friends. He knows about my powers too, and helps me as well. He's the tech guy."

"I see. Every hero needs a technical manager, huh?"

"Hero? I dunno if I'm a _hero_..."

"Danny, you save people from getting hurt by ghosts. I think that counts as hero. If firemen and police people are considered heroes, you sure as hell are one too."

Danny beamed. "Do you have any friends?" he asked after a moment.

"Yeah, but they're all at home. I'm slowly making them here, too, but..." Daniel shrugged _(you'll never be able to make friends—not with who you are what you are what you've done)_. "What's your family like?" he asked, trying, once again, to direct conversation away from his current life.

"Well, I have a big sister and then my mom and dad."

"Uh-huh. What's your sister like?"

"Don't tell me you're going to try and hook up with _her!"_

Daniel laughed. "No, I'm not going to try and date her. Just curious is all."

"Jazz...well, she's a know-it-all. She's got the best grades in school and _insists_ that she's an adult when she really isn't!"

Daniel chuckled softly. "You love her, though."

"What? What makes you say that?"

"Because you care enough to worry about her belief in being an adult."

Danny looked briefly baffled, then shrugged. "I guess. She knows about my ghost powers, too."

"Then your parents do as well?"

"No! They've said on a number of occasions that they want to tear my ghost-part apart molecule-by-molecule! I don't want to even _think_ about telling them."

"That's a little rough."

"Tell me about it. _And_ they're ghost hunters, so all their stuff goes off around me."

"Okay, that's totally not cool."

"I have to be so _careful_ around them...it's hard enough having to deal with everything else to then also have to worry about your own parents tearing you apart!"

Daniel nodded and shifted on the couch, getting more comfortable. "So you hunt ghosts just like your parents do, and from what I'm hearing, they _don't_ have ghost powers. Just how _did_ you get your powers? You briefly mentioned an accident..."

"Well, yeah...at first the Ghost Portal didn't work, so Sam goaded me into going into the Ghost Portal. Dad had the good idea of putting the 'on' switch _inside_ the Portal, and I pushed it and the Portal sprang to life, zapping me. I...felt like I almost _died_."

Daniel whistled softly. "So now you have ghost powers." He leaned back and swirled the water around in his cup, turning over the "new information" Danny had given him.

"You're living here on your own?" Danny asked.

"Yeah," he replied. "Living alone isn't all it's cracked up to be_."_

"Really?" Danny asked, skeptical. "I don't know if I believe you..."

Daniel shrugged and stopped moving the glass, the water slowly swirling to a halt, he pausing until it settled to speak again. "There's rent to pay, as well as electric, heating, water, phone, cable, and internet bills. _Then_ I have to go food shopping and cook for myself. There's also laundry to take care of..."

"Oh."

Daniel smiled wryly.

"How do you get the money?"

"I work three part-time jobs," Daniel answered. "The local ING, the electronics store in the mall and the arcade at the new strip mall on Main."

Danny tilted his head to the side. "You work at an arcade?"

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"Just never thought you the type for video games."

"I'm full of surprises," Daniel replied, a small smirk forming on his face.

Danny looked impressed, making Daniel chuckle.

"It's hard work."

"I'd think so. Still..."

"Why do you ask? Do _you_ want to live on your own?"

"Sometimes...I think it would be the best...with my powers and my parents wanting to tear me apart molecule-by-molecule..."

Daniel smiled sadly. "I wish _my_ parents were still alive."

Danny frowned. "You've talked about your dad before."

Daniel sighed. "He isn't _really_ my father. He's my foster-father. Everyone in my family...died..." he trailed off, soul-searing pain briefly flashing across his features before he simply shrugged. "It's not something I can change, though. They died _years_ ago."

"Oh...I'm sorry..." Danny rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassed nervousness. "You have any siblings?"

"I _had_ a sister. She died too."

"Ow. That sucks."

Daniel rubbed his temples, eyes closed, trying his damndest to clear away the memories and the snickering accusations. They would do him no good. "Yeah, I know," Daniel replied, voice slightly tight.

He felt a hand put on his forearm and opened his eyes to see a concerned Danny looking at him. "You okay?"

"The memories get to me now and then. It's...my fault...that...that they...that they died..." Daniel trailed off, voice fading.

This time Danny _did_ physically flinch, and Daniel saw the briefest flash of haunted, terrified memory in his younger self's eyes.

Could this one...have seen his past...and yet somehow saved everyone...?

The thought made him _burn_ with jealousy, but he kept the emotion carefully controlled.

"Man, I'm sorry...I shouldn't've talked about my parents..." Danny said, shifting uncomfortably, pulling his hand back.

Daniel waved it away. "You couldn't have known. Speaking of _your_ parents, I think you should be getting home. It's nearly 9."

Danny jumped and gaped at the clock hanging on the wall. "Seriously?"

"I wouldn't lie to _you._" He _was_ being honest, for once.

"I—well—um—thanks for...for everything." Danny turned into his ghost form and paused, mulling something over briefly. "I still shouldn't have trusted you as easily as I did."

"No, you shouldn't have."

"But...I _know_ you won't do anything to hurt me."

"You're right."

"Why?"

"What do you want me to answer?"

"What?"

Daniel smiled and shook his head slowly and smiled faintly. "Get going. Also...I don't know why I'm offering this...but, if you need someone to talk to...about _anything_, really..." Daniel shrugged before he turned off the ghost shield and Danny slipped through the ceiling, off to his home.

Daniel smiled wryly, a little dangerously even.

"You never even asked _my_ name," he murmured, eyes focused on where his younger self had phased through. He sighed, then shook his head, smile fading. _So naive...when did I stop being that way and start turning into the person I am today? _He thought idly. _I wonder if I'll ever run into him again...if he'll take me up on my spur-of-the-moment offer..._

--

Daniel raised an eyebrow as he looked at Danny's sister, amused to see that he would have been taller than she had she survived in his home time-line. "Can I help you?" he asked, closing the laptop after saving the file.

It had been a number of days since Danny's brief stay at his house and everything had been (relatively) quiet. True, the vultures had been active of late, and _that_ was annoying, but aside from that things seemed...peaceful, by his standards.

Of course, that meant only _one_ ghost attack per day, but he figured that the definition worked just as well for the people here.

He still had no clue what the _hell_ he was doing here.

"Are you the one who runs this place?"

"No. The manager isn't here right now. I think..." Daniel checked his watch quickly "...he's probably watching TV at home with his kids now."

Jazz frowned. "You work here, though?"

Daniel nodded. "I do."

"Are you the one who helped my brother?"

"I don't know. Who's your brother?" Daniel asked. He could see the flash of annoyance in her eyes and restrained a snicker. He was glad to see he still had the ability to annoy his..._no, this Jazz isn't _your _Jazz..._Danny's sister.

"His name's Danny."

"There are lots of 'Danny's out there. Can I have a last name?"

_Oh, this is too much _fun, Daniel thought as Jazz frowned slightly.

"Danny Fenton."

"Danny...Fenton..." Daniel paused, as if thinking. "Yes, I think _do_ know a Danny Fenton. As to whether or not I assisted him..."

At that moment, there was the unmistakable sound of someone trying to cheat the crane machine and failing in a spectacular fashion. Daniel sighed and stood, tucking the laptop under his arm after disconnecting it. "Be right back, miss," he said, flashing her a quick, "apologetic" smile as he trotted off to try and salvage whatever had happened.

He was in stitches inwardly. God, he had forgotten how much fun it was to screw with people sometimes, especially with someone like Jazz _(screwball screwing with the anti-screwball)_.

Daniel found the scene and raised an eyebrow. People's tendency towards schandefreude helped him solve problems like this on so many occasions. While the first instinct for anyone who happens to break something in a store is to bolt, when it's something big, like an arcade game, people tend to stop and stare. It was a perverse reaction, but it helped Daniel _so_ often.

"Almost had it there, didn't you?" Daniel murmured, bringing attention to his presence, making all those surrounding nervous. He was rarely seen, but they _knew_ he was the authority during the evening and night. It was safer to make trouble during daylight hours, but as most people who would come to the arcade were busy then...

Daniel walked over to the machine and lightly tapped against the plexiglas. "Anyone willing to tell me who did this?"

There was a silence, but Daniel could read who did it from where people's eyes briefly flickered. His eyes then settled on the teen and the smallest of wolfish smiles crept across his face.

"Want to know how much this'll cost to fix?" he asked, locking his eyes on the person who had attempted to worm their way around the system, making him squirm.

Daniel didn't bother to wait for an answer. "More than it would have taken for you to just keep on trying the _normal_ way," he answered his own question.

The boy was about to make an excuse, but Daniel shook his head, the boy's voice dying in his throat at the gesture. "Look, I don't care _how_ much you like the girl," Daniel said softly, as if only to the boy, "you don't want to hurt yourself or others by messing with this, do you? If you're _that_ desperate to impress her, do something more worthwhile then win a toy from a crane game for her, okay? Especially when trying to _cheat_ your way around it." The loathing he packed into the single word—cheat—was staggering.

"Now, I would _love_ to make you pay out of pocket for this, but as my employer is kinder than I am, I'm simply going to give you a warning—if I catch you..._cheating.._.ever again..." Daniel let the threat hang silently in the air. "Do we have an understanding?"

The boy nodded quickly.

Daniel seemed to loom less and stepped back, clearing the way towards the exit.

The boy bolted.

Daniel sighed and put up a quick "Temporarily Out of Order" sign before returning to his seat. He ignored the look Jazz was giving him as he got himself comfortable in the chair he had bought with his own money to keep his back from dying.

"You know, I think you _are_ the one Danny was describing."

"Oh?" Daniel asked, re-opening the laptop, typing in his password quickly to unlock the computer before looking back up at Jazz. "And what way was that?"

"Confusing."

Daniel laughed. "Certainly he said more than that."

"So you're saying you helped him heal."

"Am I?" Daniel asked.

Jazz fell silent and merely observed him as Daniel worked a little before closing the laptop again, leaning back in his chair and simply watching everything else, ignoring Jazz politely as she watched _him_.

"Do things like that happen often?"

Daniel shook his head. "No. Such events happen _very_ rarely. Most people are content to merely grouse at the machines, maybe kick it once, but very few try to _make_ the machine work for them. In all likelihood, the kid didn't even _want_ to do it, probably goaded by his friends. However, if I let _him_ off lightly, it would encourage other people to try and use the same excuse to get off the hook. I dislike coming off as the 'bad guy', but if I _don't_, at least right now, customers will try to take advantage of this arcade and make us lose money."

"Why take such an interest in this place if you aren't the manager?"

"Why not?" Daniel replied. "It's interesting."

There was another brief pause.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Tell me your name and I'll tell you mine."

Jazz huffed softly, making Daniel smirk. "I'm Jasmine Fenton."

Daniel stood and picked up Jazz's hand, lightly brushing his lips against it, eyes laughing as he caught Jazz's eyes. "I'm Daniel Masters. A pleasure to meet you, Jasmine."

Jazz drew her hand away quickly, eyes narrowing suspiciously as Daniel pulled back, the smallest of smirks on his face.

"Daniel Masters," she repeated, eyes searching Daniel's. "You related to the Mayor?"

Daniel sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. "Is _everyone_ going to ask me that?" he groused. "No, I'm _not_ related to _this_ 'Vlad Masters'," Daniel said, hand waving the notion away dismissively. "Just because we share a last name doesn't automatically make me his long-lost son or something."

_Ah, the half-truths,_ Daniel thought, and he saw Jazz regard him briefly suspiciously. She wouldn't trust him entirely _ever_, but Daniel didn't mind.

Where would the fun be if there wasn't a sense of danger? It wasn't as if his presence could do anything to hurt Vlad. Having family might even make him more acceptable and strangely accessible, and therefore would make people turn a slightly _more_ blind eye to what Vlad did.

"I see," Jazz finally replied.

Daniel gave her a smile. "Do you?"

"You haven't answered my question," Jazz pointed out and Daniel couldn't help but chuckle.

"Fine. I give up. Yes, I helped your brother."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"You didn't..."

"Take advantage of him? No. I would never do that. Not to _him_. That would be...wrong."

He saw Jazz unwind slightly and snickered inwardly. What, had she thought he would be a predator or something? He was unethical at times, but he wasn't _sick (liar)._

"How old are you?"

"I'll tell you if you tell me," Daniel said sweetly.

Jazz looked at him, face unreadable, even though Daniel could see the cogs working behind her eyes.

She _knew_ he was dangerous.

She _knew_ he was smart.

She _also_ knew that he confused the hell out of her.

Daniel smiled in a disarming manner and turned back to the arcade, idly marking that another person had entered.

"I don't know if I like you or not."

Daniel flashed her another smile. "A lot of people tell me that." He turned away from her, looking back at what he had almost claimed as his own. Daniel would fight _hard_ if Mark told him to go away. Daniel was molding this establishment into what _he_ wanted it to be, regardless of what Mark might want.

Oh, he did everything with his express consent, but he was good at manipulating people. He hadn't needed to do so yet, but if they disagreed on something...well, it wouldn't be _Mark's_ plan that got put into action.

"Why did you bother helping him?"

"Does it matter?" Daniel countered with a shrug before drawing a new column on the piece of paper, labeling it with the new time frame.

There was another pause, during which Daniel ignored Jazz.

"What do you think of Amity Park?"

Daniel paused, running over the possible answers in his head. "It's interesting," is what he finally settled on, tapping the pencil against his thigh.

"Interesting."

Daniel nodded. There was a moment's pause before Daniel spoke up: "Why did you seek me out, Jasmine?"

"Because I worry about Danny."

Daniel made a sound of understanding. "He's lucky, then."

Jazz frowned. She obviously hadn't expected him to react like he did.

Daniel eventually turned to Jazz and gave her a small, easy smile. "I'd love to talk with you more, but right now I'm working. Perhaps we'll find another time to talk more."

"Yeah," Jazz replied slowly. "It was...educational, speaking with you."

Daniel's smile widened slightly and he nodded. "Have a good evening."

Daniel watched Jazz leave and allowed himself chuckle. _That hurt less than I thought it would,_ he thought idly to himself, hands running over the casing of the laptop. _Could it be that I'm getting used to the fact that my family is alive here?Now _there_ is an odd thought. Or is it..._

_That these people aren't _my_ family anymore?_


	6. Confidant

**Author: Just putting this out there--I love you guys. Seriously. Thanks for all your support, in reading, reviewing, story-plus-ing and favoriting. It means a lot to me.**

**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom is still not mine.**

**Chapter 6**

Daniel closed his laptop as he watched the obviously sulking boy approach. There was purpose to Danny's stride—a sullen one, but purpose nonetheless.

"It's almost closing time; I thought your curfew was 10," Daniel said, watching the teen curiously as Danny plunked himself on the floor next to Daniel's chair, .

"It is," came the dull reply. "But you said I could come and see you for anything if I wanted to. I figured that meant 'anytime' as well."

Daniel blinked and immediately became wary. He'd heard that tone in his own voice before, and it had never meant good things.

"Start talking," Daniel said, getting comfortable in his chair. "Something _must_ have brought you here. There's no way that this is just a social call." He felt for all the world like some kind of shrink, which was _highly_ entertaining and slightly ironic.

"It's Sam," Danny said after a long moment.

"The girl you hang out with?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah," Danny glowered slightly at the floor for a moment before answering. "She told me she likes me. Like, _likes_ me."

"And this is a bad thing why...?"

"It's just...! I...well...how the _hell_ do you respond to that?"

Daniel raised an eyebrow, leaning back into the seat, eyes briefly sweeping across the arcade. "Do _you_ like her?"

"Yes! I mean, No! I mean, Maybe! I...I _don't know,_" Danny finished, obviously unhappy.

"So, how _did_ you respond?"

"How _could_ I?" Danny groaned. "And she just told me out of the blue, too!"

"Danny, there had to be a _reason_ behind it. Girls don't do anything without something like 5 different reasons."

Danny snorted, a reluctant smile forming on his face. "Um...let's see..." He paused as Daniel watched a group leave. "Well, we were out--"

"'We' who?" Daniel asked absently as he observed the last two people leave his arcade.

"Me an' Sam an' Tuck an' Jazz."

"Ah, good. That means she couldn't have mistaken it for a date," he said, turning his attention back to Danny.

Danny shook his head slightly. "Nope. Just a normal night of ghost hunting."

"Danny, when you can combine 'normal' and 'ghost hunting' in the same sentence, I think that means your definition of normal is far different from the rest of humanity's _(it's different from _your_ definition of normal, too...not that you have anything remotely close to 'normal')_."

Danny chuckled. "I guess. Anyway," he continued, playing with a dust bunny on the floor, "we were out and then there was this ghost. It was _another_ one we hadn't seen before. So I fought it and stuff."

"Okay," Daniel drawled, "so you fought it _how_?"

Danny shrugged. "Like usual."

"Okay, was it harder to beat than most ghosts you've come across?"

"I didn't really _beat _it, but...yeah, it was harder than lots I've faced, although that's been changing," he finished slightly sourly.

"Mm...well, what did you have to do to stop it?"

_That_ question, thankfully (or maybe not), launched Danny into a retelling of the battle.

"Well, okay. It had been quiet, which was a _good_ thing. I don't _like_ running into ghosts all the time. I thought I might even be able to get some homework and _sleep_ in. Of course, that never lasts," Danny half-growled.

Daniel had trouble suppressing a snicker.

"I was chasing the Box Ghost—he's good warm-up—when I was brought up short by my ghost sense going off _again_, even though I was already in the presence of a ghost. That made me nervous—I didn't really know what it meant."

Daniel nodded slightly. The only time his ghost sense went off more than once was when a more powerful ghostly presence overpowered the one he was dealing with concurrently (although almost any ghost was stronger than the Box Ghost).

"So I stopped chasing the Box Ghost and looked around, giving Sam and Tucker time to catch up with me. Sam asked what was wrong, and I told her that I felt something was off. Then, all of a sudden, _BOOM!_ This ghost plows through a (thankfully) empty shop and looks _at me_."

"Okay, what did the ghost look like?"

"Well, it was all snaky-like."

"That's not very enlightening, Danny."

"Um...well, I mean, that's the best way to put it. What parts of its body were bare were covered in scales and it had the slit-pupil eyes. It didn't look all that _strong_...but when it looked at you it felt like someone dropped an entire package of ice down your back. Its eyes...its _presence..._was just...eerie. I felt like it was looking through me, seeing more than just my body. Then it gave me this _smile_ and I was suddenly un-paralyzed, all kinds of warnings running through my head that made me put myself between Sam and Tucker and the ghost. It was all 'So _you're_ Danny Phantom' and I was like 'What's it to you?'"

Daniel rolled his eyes at the attempt at sass.

Danny didn't notice, as he was slowly getting caught up in the memory of the battle. "Then it was 'Let's see if you're really so dangerous as she's making you sound' and I was like 'what?' but then it moved." Danny sighed. "For being so _big_ it was _fast_."

Daniel had identified the ghost that Danny was talking about and nodded slightly. Yes, that ghost had no right being so damnably fast being as large as it was.

"It caught me here," Danny said and gestured to his stomach, "and sent me into the ground. I wasn't expecting it, so while it wasn't...well, the hit really really hurt all that much, but it was distraction enough for it to get Sam and Tucker. I chased after it, and I managed to grab its tail. It hissed at me—I guess it was surprised—before it yanked it out of my fingers. Still, it was enough of a distraction to get it to release Tucker. I caught him and put him down and then sped after the ghost, who still had Sam. Then the ghost began to glow, well, more than usual, and I heard Sam scream. I caught up, but the ghost had vanished by then."

"What happened to Sam?"

"Well, she was there. Except floating. And glowing."

"Which is never a good thing."

"Yeah..." Danny sighed and rolled his neck. "I assumed it had something to do with the ghost, so I asked what it did. It smirked at me and asked if I could fight it while it was in Sam's body. I didn't risk hurting her, did I?"

"so what did you do?"

"Froze. At least, for a little bit. But it then began to taunt me and _that_ pissed me off. I remembered the one time that I was able to bring people back to normal from Desiree's spell by possessing them myself and kicking them out from _inside_ the person. It was risky...but I've possessed Sam before...so I figured that she and I would be fine."

"And?"

"And I did—the ghost didn't expect it, so it was easy to get inside Sam. Once there...well...it felt like I was there forever. It had somehow dug itself into Sam, so I had to go through all these traps and stuff to even _get_ to where the ghost was. Then it had imprisoned Sam somehow, so I had to fight it _carefully_ to get it out of Sam's head. I did—with Sam's help. After she and I saw that she could affect what was going on in the environment we were fighting in beating it was easy. We kicked it out and then I set Sam down on a roof, de-possessing her once she was safe. I turned back to the ghost and it was all 'so you think you've won, huh?' and I was like 'you'll see!' and then it bolted again."

Danny sighed. "It was so fast...too fast. It got to Sam's house before I did and ended up holding them all hostage. It was like, 'so you can defeat me when _one_ life is at stake—how about three?' and I was like 'ah, crap.'"

_Okay, we're somehow teaching him how to duplicate himself _soon_._

Danny's eyes narrowed in anger. "It was like, 'you can choose only one to save.' But I _couldn't_. This was Sam's family! She might complain about then, but they still matter, right?"

Daniel nodded solemnly. "Family is _very_ important."

"So, it dropped them from very high up and I moved as fast as I could. I caught Sam's grandmom, but I could only carry _one_ of them. I could barely think—what I did was more out of desperation than anything else. I managed to create a rope of sticky ectoplasm, and even though it made my arm _scream_ in pain—I think I might have screamed, too—I managed to catch both Sam's mom and dad with it. I set them all down and glowered up at the snake-ghost."

Danny growled. "It looked amused."

Daniel wanted to say, "It likes to toy with its prey" but kept his mouth shut; afterall, he couldn't let on that he knew these ghosts than Danny was fighting.

"Then it vanished, but I knew it was still around, since it spoke. It said 'resourceful, inventive...yes, I can see why she wants you gone. Now, to see how strong and smart you are.' And I was like, 'what?'"

Danny bit his lip. "This time I was nearly too late. Only regular ghosts running away from it told me where it was. When I got there it gave me this most evil smile—I've only seen _one_ that was more evil—and held a squirming Sam up. It _knew_ Sam was important to me...and even though Sam fought it tooth and nail, nothing had any effect."

Danny fidgeted, leaning his head against the wall. "Deliberately, slowly, it bit her extended forearm, and she screamed. It put her down and she collapsed in a ball, holding her arm to her chest. It said, 'If you don't find a way to cure her, she'll become a malignant, mindless ghost whose only thought will be to kill you for not saving her. Clock is ticking, ghostling."

Danny pulled his legs up to his chest, giving Daniel a brief, haunted look. "From the bite, dark green and black glowing veins were growing outwards, staining her skin, and I could see the pain in her eyes. It hurt so much she _couldn't_ pass out."

Danny took a moment to swallow a few times. "I did that thing that you see on TV for snake wounds—I tried to suck out whatever poison it might have used but it did nothing. Actually, it might have made it worse. I...I was at a loss." His voice dried up, and even though his lips moved a few times, he wasn't able to produce words. Daniel got up and bought him a bottle of water, handing it to him, who took it gratefully, pausing for a long time, simply drinking.

"I didn't know what to do," he whispered. "For some reason I wasn't able to possess her, and even with Tucker's help, none of the gadgets we had worked. So...I...was going to find a way to end her life before she could become ghost, since no hospital would have been able to cure her." His voice was coated with so many shades of guilt, fear, and sorrow that Daniel couldn't help but lightly rub one of his shoulders, offering what support and comfort he could. Danny had yet to have someone die because he wasn't strong enough, smart enough, fast enough, and the close call had left him shaken.

Daniel had such experiences, though, and they only added to the scars and guilt he carried.

"So...I reached inside her, my hand intangible, hoping to catch her heart. However...my hand grabbed hold onto something else. Something that felt...not human. So I clenched my fist around it and pulled it out, and suddenly all of the tension went out of Sam and the dark black and green that had been nearly entirely threaded through her vanished, all concentrated in the one blindingly dark ball of energy I was holding."

Daniel's eyebrows shot up. _He's already halfway figured out how to do that and it wasn't even _intentional_? I doubt he'd be able to repeat, but, still..._

"Tucker sucked it up in the Thermos and I checked Sam. Still breathing, still alive, still _human_." The relief was heavy in his voice. "I had made it." The relief faded to be replaced with a scowl. "And that's when she told me she _likes_ me."

"Well, considering that you freed her from ghostly possession, saved her parents, _and_ prevented her death, I think I understand why she chose to tell you," Daniel told his younger self dryly.

"Still...I've saved her from dying lots before."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Danny, looking death in the eyes changes people, makes them realize what's important in their lives." He smiled faintly, looking at the teen. "Sam saw it. She felt she ought to tell you how she felt, since she realized that she _could_ die. It's hard to really _know_ the finality in life until it brushes against you."

"Have _you_ seen it?" Danny asked, curious as Daniel stood up and began to begin the shut-down procedure after checking that everyone was gone. Daniel hesitated before picking up a broom that had fallen on the floor, face tightening briefly in pain before he answered slowly, voice strained.

"I did."

"When?"

"When my family and friends died before my eyes and I was powerless to do anything to stop it."

"Oh."

Daniel began sweeping, sighing.

"So, the reason Sam told you she loved you was because she saw that she was mortal. Saw Death. I know goths like to say that they like death and darkness and all that stuff, but they're just as human as anyone else. Death...is _terrifying_."

There was a pause as Daniel worked, getting all the dust, dirt, and various pieces of questionable matter out of the corridors of his arcade and was surprised when Danny drew the gate down halfway. He gave the teen a small smile of gratitude _(don't get _too_ attached to him, Daniel—you know what happens to people you get close to)_.

"What would you have done?" Danny asked softly, fingers running down the aluminum paneling.

Daniel paused. "I don't know. One of my friends who died—she was the girl I liked. I didn't tell her because I didn't _want_ to think that I could fall for someone. Didn't want her to get _too_ close to me, just in case...just in case something went wrong in my life and I ended up dead, or worse...she ended up hurt or dead." A flash of grief passed over Daniel's face. "She died anyway...because of _me_ and my stupid _choice_." The tone he finished in was bitter and self-deprecating, although there was the strangest hint of wry malignant amusement. "It hurts anyway, even though I neglected to see if we could have any kind of relationship other than that of friends."

"That sucks."

"I know."

"What should I do...?"

Daniel lightly tousled his younger self's hair after setting the broom aside, earning a small protest as he finished pulling down the gate. "For now, I think it would be best if you got home."

His younger self hesitated as he followed Daniel over to the change machine. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

"What?" Daniel half-exclaimed, eyebrows snapping up. "Why?"

"I...just need time away from my family, is all."

Daniel frowned as he took the bills out of the change machines, flipping through them and briefly checking the meters, making sure everything matched up. "We've established that family is important, right?" he said eventually.

"Yeah, I know, but..."

"But what?"

"Lately they've just been driving me _crazy_. I've been nearly caught so many times recently—they're getting smart—and with my performance in school..." Danny sighed heavily. "It's like they only have _bad_ things to say about me."

Daniel put a rubber band around the bills and walked over to their safe. "That's probably untrue. Parents love their kids...hell, even my _foster-_father has grown on me and I on him. It's...inevitable, I guess. They might just be concerned." He caught the look Danny was giving him and raised an eyebrow. "If they're frustrating you that much, though, I guess you could stay the night. You're not going to sleep for that long since you have to get back to said family, as it _is_ a school-night, but..." Daniel shrugged as he triggered both human and ghostly locks on the safe and scooped up his laptop and bag. "C'mon. You'll actually be able to see where my apartment is."

Daniel left through a side exit, closing and locking the door behind Danny, readjusting the strap on his backpack. The two walked in thoughtful silence through the dark morning, and the first time Danny spoke was when he saw where Daniel lived.

"You live in the same apartment complex as Valerie?"

"Yes, why?"

"She's tried to _kill_ me!"

"Mm. You will explain that statement once we're in my room."

They walked silently up the stairs and Daniel let the half-ghost in before him, before following him in and closing and locking the door again. "The couch is yours," he told his younger self, who made a beeline to said piece of furniture as Daniel set down his stuff and walked into his room. He picked up a spare blanket and pillow and went back to his living room to hear soft, deep, even breathing.

Daniel smiled faintly and walked over to the couch where he found his younger self already fast asleep, curled slightly in on himself on the couch. Daniel slipped the pillow underneath Danny's head and gently covered the half-ghost with the light blanket before standing back and looking at the teen.

Daniel was surprised at how well he knew this self—and how he knew absolutely nothing at all. He flicked off the lights in the living room and smiled softly over his shoulder before shaking his head.

To think he was literally taking care of himself...

--

Daniel stood over the drowsy teen on the couch, unable to hide his exasperation. Danny was stubbornly refusing to wake and should get back to his family. Actually, Daniel had no idea why he had agreed to host this younger self. He wasn't even certain if his family _knew_ about him. It was quite possible that the half-ghost before him had neglected to mention a little thing like having an older male friend.

Friend? Confidant? Advisor? Person-to-bitch-to? What exactly _was_ he that had made the teen come to him?

He didn't want the police to come knocking on _his_ door should his parents get the authorities involved inquiring as to where Danny was. He wasn't established at all, and as there was no record of him _anywhere_...well, it would look suspicious. He might even have to use his ghost powers to get out of it.

That being the case, he'd rather Danny walk home on his own two feet and explain himself rather than having to do so for him.

Daniel, after trying and failing for the third time in 10 minutes to wake the teen threw up his hands in frustration.

_Fine,_ he thought, eyes narrowing. _We'll do this the hard way._

Daniel walked around the couch and pulled the blanket off of the teen, earning him nothing more than an unhappy grumble. He ducked down and slipped his hands under Danny, cradling him in his arms before walking to the bathroom and depositing him on the toilet. He stripped the boy with ruthless efficiency before turning on the water in the shower as cold as possible and tossing him in.

_That_ woke the teen up with a vengeance.

Daniel couldn't restrain the smug smirk that crept across his face as Danny sputtered and shivered, reaching out blindly to either turn the water off or somehow make it warmer.

He ended up turning the cold water on higher blast.

By this time Daniel was having a hard time restraining a snicker.

After fumbling for a moment more, Danny finally managed to hit the hot water and sighed in relief as the water became _much_ warmer.

"Well, now that you're awake," Daniel said, startling the teen, nearly making Danny slip in the tiled box, "we can start pushing you in the direction of your home."

Danny turned on a death glare on Daniel, who brushed it off easily; it was nothing compared to what he would receive from his foster-father when he _really_ pissed the man off.

"What the hel—wait—you _stripped me?!_" Danny sputtered, hands immediately covering himself.

Daniel sneered. "It's nothing I haven't seen before. I _do_ happen to be a guy, too, y'know."

"Just—just—get out! Where are my clothes?!"

"On the floor," Daniel answered. "Though I suggest that you finish your shower first, since you're in there anyway. Come out when you're done."

Daniel turned and left, ignoring the dark mutterings of his alternate younger self. He finally allowed himself a snicker when he was in the kitchen. .

Dark grumbling preceded the teen, and a smirk he _knew_ would irritate Danny spread across his face. When the teen finally appeared, he, as expected, scowled even deeper.

"Why the _hell_ did I decide you were a good person to talk to?"

"Because you needed a _guy_ to talk to about your little budding romance fiasco."

"It wasn't _that_ bad!" Danny protested.

Daniel merely smiled and stuck bread in the toaster. "This is the only food I'm going to give you now. _You_ have to get your sorry ass back over to your house before your family realizes that you aren't in residence."

Danny was about to protest the lack of nourishment when the rest of the sentence sunk in. "Oh."

"Yeah, thought so," Daniel replied dryly. "Toast, butter, then you do your ghost thing and get out. I don't care _how_ much your family is frustrating you, you're still a minor and under their care and unless you want to get _me_ in trouble...?"

Danny meekly took the offered food and shoved it in his mouth before changing into his ghost form, floating a little above the floor. He hesitated briefly. "Can I still...?"

Daniel shrugged. "Don't see why not. I'm usually only in my apartment early mornings. Otherwise...I work at ING until I'm done doing any stupid little thing that needs to be done, the big electronics retail at the mall from noon to 5 and the arcade from 7 to 2. Now, shoo."

Daniel released the ghost shield and Danny zipped out, heading back towards his own home. Daniel shook his head slowly and sighed.

He hoped Danny wouldn't seek him out _too_ often. It would be troublesome—especially if there came a time when Danny had dug himself a hole so deep he couldn't climb out of it on his own.

Because Daniel knew that, when that time came, he would be there to help _(not like you _can_ help him when you can't even help yourself)._

And _that_ was an odd feeling.

--

Daniel sat at his computer and pulled up a file, his fingers hovering over the keyboard as he thought.

_Danny fought one of _my_ ghosts, but from what it said this was the first time they met. But what Danny told me it said...the mention of someone _else_ informing the ghost of his presence..._that's_ odd._

Daniel typed slowly, lying out what he had learned from Danny's description of the battle.

_It was weaker here, even though its tactic was no different from the one it used on me._

It had actually been one of his easier battles. The ghost's general tactic was to use one's own most important people against one, whether through the use of words, illusions, poison, or physically; whatever worked best. Considering _when _in his life he had fought it, it wasn't surprising that it had been an easy battle.

_But_...Daniel paused in his typing. _Someone else is in communication with these ghosts from the future. Someone is helping them come here. But _why_? What would coming here accomplish?_

Daniel sat back in his chair and sighed. _This doesn't make _sense.

_(nothing in your life makes sense. _You_ make no sense)_

_Go away,_ Daniel thought idly, trying to focus on more important matters. _Perhaps...I won't be able to pull in any favors in the Ghost Zone, but that doesn't mean I can't...convince...ghosts into doing things for me. Yes...and the first ghosts I'm going to go after are those _annoying_ vultures._

Daniel finished typing with a flourish, closing the file that contained all the information and clues as to what he could _possibly_ be doing in this time. He set the laptop aside and stood, his cape fluttering out behind him as he lifted off the ground, bright green eyes narrowing as he turned off the ghost shield, phased through the wall, and then turned it back on, watching the slight flicker of bright green on his window. He smirked and turned, pulling his cloak around him, vanishing.

No need to attract attention until needed. He'd rather not alert Plasmius to his presence, but if needed to get the information he wanted...well, making an enemy of this world's Plasmius might actually be fun. He would be able to compare strengths, perhaps even learn some new ways of fighting from _this_ one...

Assuming the man had actually tried to develop skills—afterall, he_ was_ in the past_. _Vlad wouldn't have had _Daniel_ to constantly test his patience and abilities, so he wasn't certain. Nonetheless, a fight with the older half-ghost would be entertaining.

_Ah, there they are,_ he thought, the smallest of excited, anticipatory smiles forming on his face as he set his sights on the vultures. He slowed until he was pacing them, waiting for them to get someplace where he could thrash them and no-one would care or notice.

When they finally hit the suburbs of the suburb Daniel made his move.

It was ridiculously easy, but Daniel was expecting nothing less.

He grabbed onto one of the vulture's talons and froze the ghostly bird, letting it drop to the ground, moving before the other two had time to process what had happened to their comrade.

He fell on top of the second one and sent a jolt of energy through its wings, shorting out the flow of ectoplasm through them, and grinned as _that_ vulture dropped, wingless, landing a short ways away from the one encased in ice.

For the third, he took hold of its neck and physically threw it to the ground, stunning it. He landed beside it, still invisible and knelt, his hand slipping into the vulture's torso, curling delicately around the core of energy that served as its ghostly 'heart', making it squirm, but fall still the moment Daniel's hand began to constrict it.

"Hello, worm," Daniel purred, and he could _feel_ all the vultures tense, and they had good reason to. Many ghosts in the Ghost Zone of his time-line had learned to fear his voice when pitched so.

"Who's dere?" he heard the one whose wings he had clipped ask.

"My identity isn't important," he answered flippantly, coolly. "And anyway _I'm_ the one who is going to be asking questions, the first one being: what is Plasmius having you do that has you out nearly every night?"

When the vultures were silent, Daniel allowed his hand to begin to curl inwards and the vulture whose core he had in his palm began to writhe in agony.

"Fine! Fine! Just _stop_."

Daniel's hand relaxed, but remained on the vulture's core. "Well?"

"Da portal's been actin' up and he wants t' know _why_."

"So you've been acting as recon. Typical of the man," he murmured. "what have you discovered?"

"'S not just his portal—da one in th' Fenton's is actin' up, too. D' natural ones too are crossin' weird."

"'Crossing weird'?"

"They're goin' 'cross time an' _realities_ as well as th' normal human-ta-ghost zone."

This conversation was confirming a lot of hypotheses of Daniel's.

"Do you know _how_ this is happening?"

"N-no! That's what we're lookin' for now."

"Mm. I see." There was ice in Daniel's voice when he next spoke. "You're not _lying _to me, are you?" he asked, hand beginning to squeeze again.

"No! NO!" the one he was affecting cried. "_Not_ lying!"

"Good," Daniel purred. "_Who_ is doing this?"

"Don't know. Been lookin' for that too, but haven't come up wit' anythin'."

"Anything?" Daniel asked, exerting a little pressure.

"F-Female! Not ghost! That's it."

"And she's the one causing all _this_?"  
"Maybe."

"I see."

There was a pause before Daniel withdrew his hand and flicked off what little ectoplasm had come with it, impassive. "It was a _pleasure_ talking with you," Daniel drawled, scorn heavy in his voice. He backed away, hiding silently nearby.

He had discovered that in ghost form he didn't have to breathe, which had saved him a great number of times. The acknowledgment that his heart wasn't beating either meant he could be completely invisible, unable to be detected by sight, sound, touch, or scent (as long as he remain unharmed—ectoplasmic blood _does_ have a scent).

He had gotten evasion and stealth down to an art.

"Who was dat?" he heard one of them ask, not caring which it was. The one he had frozen should have thawed by now, so it could be any of the three.

"I dunno...but I don' like him."

Daniel rolled his eyes. They had _never_ liked him, which was one of the many reasons he hadn't minded testing out a number of his developing powers on them.

"Could he be another one that came though?"

"Maybe..."

"What are you doing lazing around?"

Daniel tensed, briefly reacting to the rebuke in the voice of this world's Vlad, before he forced himself to relax. Vlad couldn't sense him, and he sure as hell wasn't talking to him.

"Sorry boss, we got ambushed."

"Ambushed? By whom?"

"We dunno."

There was a pause and Daniel could almost picture the skeptical sneer on Vlad's face. "How can you _not know_?"

"'Cause he was invisible the entire time!"

"Invisible? That's odd," Plasmius murmured.

Daniel was quite aware of how strange he was as ghosts went. Most 'malignant' ghosts _wanted_ to be seen—it was the benign ones that played least-in-sight. So that one would _attack_ another ghost while invisible...was highly unusual.

_(then again, your entire life centers around how weird sick strange you are)_

"And _how_ did it do this to you?" he heard Plasmius murmur, and heard the rustle of cloth, signifying that the half-ghost had moved. "I've never seen anything like it."

_He must be examining the vulture whose wings I clipped_, Daniel thought idly.

"Yeah, well, I _don't_ like it."

"I can't imagine why," came the dry reply and Daniel smiled faintly. "Have you anything worthwhile to report other than this attack by a mysterious ghost?"

"Nah, not really. Jus' that whoever's doin' this is _good_ at hidin'."

"There's so many odd rumors and red herrings that it's nearly impossible to track 'em down."

"Only thin' we got is it's a girl."

"A female, hm?" Plasmius murmured thoughtfully and Daniel cocked his head to the side, equally thoughtful at the reminder. Had he made any particularly dangerous female enemies? He didn't think so. He tried not to, since they could be far more vicious than any of the male ones could ever be.

"Could the ghost that attacked you be the one who is causing all this ruckus?"

"Don' think so, boss."

"Why?"

"It was a guy and..." there was a hesitation that amused Daniel. His ghostly presence was often quite hard to describe. "...I dunno. It just seemed...almost like you."

Daniel blinked. _He_ felt like _Plasmius_? He didn't know if this was a carry-over from his own time-line or if this was yet another effect of his transit.

"Really now. And what exactly does that mean?" Vlad mused, and Daniel could almost see the puzzled frown the billionaire would be wearing.

"I dunno."

"Well, come. We should continue this conversation somewhere where we can't be spied upon."

Daniel sat back and watched the four ghosts take off, mulling over a number of things, the least being the identity of the mysterious being who was complicating his already complicated life.


	7. Favors

**Author: Again, I want to thank everyone for all the reviews, favoriting, and alerting of my story. I'm now back on the Eastern coast of the US, but I will continue updating on Thursday morning my time. This is a little late because I've been traveling for the past 2 days and didn't have much time to sit down and write. I'm sorry if the quality of this chapter is a little lower than the others.**

**Disclaimer: ha ha not mine**

**Chapter 7**

Daniel sat in the shower, watching the odd mixture of ectoplasm and blood that was his slowly swirl down the drain, the plethora of shallow, stinging scrapes on his right arm and leg still bleeding sluggishly.

_Okay, that hurt more than it had any right to_, he thought to himself, wincing as he ran the fingers of his left hand lightly over the abused skin.

Why had he done that _anyway?_ It's not like _this_ Vlad mattered. Hell, all he had done was attract the man's attention, which was high on the list of Things Not To Do.

Daniel pushed himself to his feet with a groan and turned off the water, face tightening in pain as his right side spasmed with the movement.

_Stupid, Danny. Very, _very _stupid,_ he berated himself as he stepped out and grabbed a dark towel, drying the rest of his body before lightly patting dry the scrapped side. Each touch was a reminder of how _dumb_ he had been, and how this had managed to happen to him in the first place.

He had been traveling from his job at the electronics store to the arcade, and happened to be passing City Hall at the time. He had heard Vlad's voice from down the street a ways and rolled his eyes when he got close enough to hear his attempt at justifying whatever he needed to justify this time around.

Out of respect to him—_no he's not _him_, Daniel, your father is in another time_—Daniel stopped and looked up at the podium.

Daniel frowned and turned to face him more fully. This Vlad looked...different. He hadn't been paying much attention to his appearance last time—he had been focusing purely on getting by without arousing _too_ much suspicion. There wasn't any variation in the way he dressed, or the way he styled his hair, or anything superficial like that. Still...

This Vlad looked more...worn.

Defeated, even.

It was a feeling that Daniel was completely baffled by. Vlad just _wasn't_ that way.

Daniel stopped and crossed his arms, confused. But, Vlad was Vlad was Vlad, right?

He snorted and rolled his eyes at his own thoughts. Who was he kidding? He was living proof that the same person can be completely different. Different situations brought out different facets in people. This Vlad...still had no-one, and it inexplicably made Daniel's heart ache softly. Had he really come to like the prickly billionaire that much? He supposed that, really, it sucked for anyone to be alone.

Daniel was about to walk away when his ghost sense went off. He looked around covertly, eyes narrowing. Ghosts these days tended to be even worse than they had any right to be. _His_ ghosts had been annoying as all fucking hell, but most of them had been easy to deal with. The ones that he'd been coming across lately, though...even ones from his own time that had somehow managed to find their way here, were stronger than he remembered them being (although he could still easily grind a great many of them into the dust should he so desire).

It was actually quite frustrating.

The ghost appeared abruptly, sent staggering his way by a number of ectoplasmic blasts from his younger self.

What happened after that was both too clear and yet very blurry to Daniel. He instinctively moved towards the battle when everyone else was running away—it was almost a reflex that had been ground into him: see _malignant_ ghost, fight it. That was just how he worked. That he had to step in and help Danny in little ways pretty much every battle also drew him closer to the altercation.

Almost too late he saw the structural damage that had been caused by a few stray blasts from his younger self and the ghost that was about to fall on Vlad.

_There's too many people!_ He had thought, almost frantically. _He won't be able to change into his ghost form or use his ghost powers to keep himself safe, he isn't athletic enough to avoid that, Danny is otherwise occupied..._

That decided him. He _sprinted_ over to his--_no he's _not_ yours--_to Vlad and simultaneously tackled him and pulled him close, protecting the older man's head and neck as Daniel skidded along the pavement, making a few rotations that left him biting his tongue in an effort not to scream in pain.

He had arrived just seconds before Vlad would have been squished.

They finally stopped and Daniel let go of the _Mayor--_he's not _yours_ Danny, he belongs _here_--and rolled onto his back and winced at the movement.

Vlad was looking at him with the strangest expression he had ever seen on the man's face as Daniel got himself together enough to stand, only the paling of his face indicating any pain, even though any skin that wasn't covered in cloth on his right leg and arm was an angry red and oozing slightly. He offered his (non-injured) hand to the puzzled billionaire, who ignored it and stood on his own, brushing dirt, rubble, and dust off of him. Daniel looked at the spot where Vlad _would_ have been and winced. _That_ would have been painful if he didn't reveal his secret. That he could also see small smears of red from where concrete had dug into his leg and arm hard enough to break the skin...

Daniel walked (well, _limped_, but that's a matter of semantics) away before any questions could be asked.

Which was why he was nursing an abused side and wondering just what possessed him to do what he did. He hadn't _needed_ to help him physically—he _did_ possess ghost powers, and so probably could have shielded him from afar and Danny would have gotten the credit.

_Damnit, Danny, this is _not_ the time to remember that you used to like playing the 'hero'._

Someone knocked on his door and he growled. He was in no mood to deal with his neighbors today. He'd pretend he wasn't home and they'd eventually go away.

Except they didn't.

Daniel eventually threw up his hands and walked over to the door, his only clothes boxers (it hurt too much to wear anything other than them). He unlocked the thing and wrenched it open, scowling. The scowl lessened marginally when he saw that it was Danny standing before him.

"What's up?" he asked as he let Danny in. Since their first meetings, Danny had begun to come to him for advice every now and then, but mostly he was used as homework help once Danny saw that Daniel was quite adept at explaining things in a fashion that he understood easily—with good reason. A bond of a sort had formed between them, although Daniel took great pains to appear to stay out of Danny's ghost-hunting life. It was more fun to talk to the teen about things other than ghosts, so if he stayed out of that sphere of Danny's bizarre existence...not only was the conversational material different, he also didn't have to meet his friends or family.

The first time that Daniel's last name had come into conversation had been quite interesting, however.

"_Masters?_ Seriously? That's _your_ last name?!"

Daniel blinked. "Yes, why? Your sister reacted oddly to it, too. I know it's the last name of the Mayor, but why does it seem to have so much of an impact? When I speak to other people, it's more of an 'oh, that's interesting' instead of the blatant shock that you and your sister have displayed."

"Well...Vlad's a...friend of the family."

"Then why do you say it like it's a bad thing?"

Danny hesitated. "He's...not _really_ a friend. My dad and mom, well, mostly my _dad_, like him, but I know otherwise."

"Oh?"

"Well...see, Vlad's a half-ghost like me."

Daniel had pulled off surprised/shocked quite well. "Really?"

Danny nodded. "Yeah. But he doesn't do things to _help_ people. And, really, he's after my mom! He wants my dad dead so he can have her for himself!"

Daniel wrinkled his nose. It sounded _weird_ hearing that now. His Vlad hadn't had Maddie to obsess over for years, and had more than enough on his hands with Daniel to keep him occupied. His perverse desire for the woman who used to be his mother...it was just odd, thinking about it.

"Yeah, I know! See? You think it's weird, too!"

"Well, I mean, your mom's married and happy with your dad, right?"

"Yeah."

"So of _course_ I'd think that's weird. Still, why does my name seem to have so much of an impact?"

Danny paused, then shrugged. "I dunno. I guess...there are times when you'll say something in a way that just is...off. Kinda like how he would say it if he still bothered to care about other people."

"Now _that's_ weird," Daniel had told him, frowning. "I'm _not_ related to the man by blood at all! How could I act like him?"

Danny shrugged. "I dunno. You _sure_ you aren't some kind of Plasmius-clone just trying to get close to me to get at my mom?"

"_Hell_ no!" Daniel said, looking insulted and faintly upset.

His reaction had soothed Daniel, and conversation had moved away from that topic and hadn't revisited it since.

"Ow, that looks like it hurts," Danny said as he regarded the quite visible abrasions all along Daniel's side.

"You're _so_ observant," Daniel drawled, temper shorter than usual as he locked the door with anti-human and ghost locks perhaps a little too roughly.

Danny winced. "Jeeze."

"What're you here for?" Daniel asked as he walked over to his couch and began apply anti-bacterial cream to his scrapes.

"I didn't know you could do that through cloth," Danny murmured.

"It hurts more when it happens like that," Daniel replied, wincing slightly as his fingers moved over the abused skin of his leg. "You still didn't answer why you're here."

"Just wanted to check in on you. It _looked_ like you took that slide hard, but I couldn't be sure."

Daniel sighed. "I'm glad you're concerned for me, but I _do_ happen to be an adult and am more than capable of taking care of myself."

Daniel regretted saying it almost immediately afterwards, but it wasn't as if he could _un-_say it now, especially at the hurt he saw in Danny's eyes.

"Well, I'm _sorry_," Danny replied, slightly bitterly and turned to leave. Daniel's good hand on his T-shirt stopped him, making Danny look at him in annoyance. "What?"

"Don't leave," Daniel whispered. He winced inwardly at how much of a plea that it sounded like, and a mocking chuckle echoed between his ears.

Danny scowled. "Thought you were an 'adult' and didn't need my help."

"Stop it!" Daniel snarled. "Legally, yes, I'm an adult. I'm living on my own, making my own ends meet. But...the only other time I lived on my own...albeit briefly..." Daniel swallowed and let go of Danny's shirt, "was when my family died."

Danny's posture relaxed slightly and he paused, looking into the distance at a memory. "I don't think I'd be able to handle my family dying...especially if it was my fault..."

Daniel smiled faintly, running his fingers over the abrasions on his leg, silent for a moment before he began to apply the ointment again. "You'd be surprised. I think you're stronger than you give yourself credit for."

Danny turned and sat down next to Daniel, shaking his head. "I...saw what would happen if my family and friends all died because of me."

"Oh?" _This_ was a story Danny had neglected to tell. "And...?"

Danny smiled faintly. "You won't believe me."

"Try me. I've been through a lot of weird shit."

Danny snickered softly, but said nothing for a long time. Daniel was too tired to pester Danny into telling him the story, so he merely finished putting anti-bacterial on his wounds before wrapping them lightly in bandages.

"So, there's this test, right?" Danny started as he sat down next to Daniel, "And it's really big. Because I was fighting ghosts I didn't really have time to study. So, I wasn't prepared at all."

Daniel nodded, saying nothing, mouth going dry. This was it. _This_ would show him how the teen before him managed to somehow keep his family and friends from dying...

"But, I...I got the answers to the test. I was going to _use_ them, too. I was so stressed..."

If Daniel had doubted before that he and this Danny were the same person, it was all gone now. The events were running over in Daniel's head, he experiencing almost the exact same feelings.

"However...Clockwork stepped in."

And here was where the story diverged.

"He sent a few ghosts to remove/test me and I ended up in Clockwork's tower, and...and then I found myself 10 years in the future." Danny's face flickered in pain and muted anger and horror. "I...everyone _died_ because I cheated."

Daniel's hands tightened into fists, and he was glad Danny wasn't looking at him. He _knew_ his emotions weren't under his control at the moment. Everything that he had sought to ignore, everything that he had pushed to the back of his consciousness to be able to function was being brought to the fore once more.

"I was left with no-one. So...I moved in with the Vlad."

Indeed he had.

"But...I guess...I don't know how I was feeling, but according to the future Vlad that I met I couldn't take the guilt and sorrow and stuff...so I got him to separate my ghost and human halves."

Daniel's eyebrows raised slightly. Vlad had actually _listened_ to him in that time-line? What, had the man temporarily lost his mind? Why would he listen to a _teenager_?

"I...my ghost half...it...well...after merging with Vlad's ghost-half it kinda became _pure evil._ Like, _really_ evil. Like, no good at all. And...I did all sorts of bad things. But, I got there and I fought against that evil me. But I got trapped 10 years in the future while that me took the test for me, using all the answers. Now, somehow, Mr. Lancer had found out that I had the answers. So, after the test and after he—_I_—cheated Mr. Lancer brought everyone in front of the Nasty Burger to make a statement. I got back from 10 years in the future in time to fight my evil self. I beat him, but...he had run down the clock. Everyone died...or, at least, they _should_ have."

Danny paused, a brief look of pain flashing across his face, followed quickly by relief. "Clockwork stepped in. He...kept them from dying. Gave me a second chance. But...if Clockwork hadn't stepped in...he _was_ still around...so I would have become him...no matter what..."

Daniel frowned. "That's not true. The future is never set in stone." _I'm living proof that there was another option—that your future was also dependent on the choice _he_ made._

"But--"

"What if Vlad said 'no'?"

Danny frowned. "What?"

"What if Vlad said 'no' to your request?"

Danny blinked and thought.

Daniel tried and failed to heave himself onto his feet three times to get Tylenol, but ended up giving up and just staying stationary on the couch.

"I dunno. Do you think Vlad would say no?"

Daniel shrugged. "I don't know the man well enough."

"But you saved him even after everything I've told you about him."

And _that_ was the topic that he had been avoiding.

"I did."

"Why?"

Daniel paused and ran over the answers he could give. He eventually settled upon: "It was the right thing to do."

Danny took the answer at face value. Why wouldn't he? He was a hero, afterall. It was his..._calling_...to do the Right Thing.

Daniel tried to stand up one last time and actually managed to get to his feet before a sharp pain shot down his side that made him bite his lip to keep himself from doing something undignified like whimper.

He _did_ yelp when Danny pulled him back down onto the couch. "What do you want?" Danny asked.

Daniel scowled at the treatment. He wasn't a child! "Tylenol."

"Stay there. You shouldn't really move," Danny told him in an authoritative voice that made Daniel's lips quirk in what might have been called a smile.

Danny stood and went into Daniel's medicine cabinet and rifled through it.

Which was probably a bad thing.

"What's all this stuff?" Daniel heard the younger self ask suspiciously.

"Better living through chemistry," Daniel replied dryly.

"What?"

"Get the Tylenol and bring in the bottles and then I'll explain."

Danny eventually appeared again with the bottle of Tylenol and a glass of water.

Daniel happily took the painkillers and sighed when Danny sat down with an air of expectation next to him. Daniel paused and looked at the other three bottles before him, sighing.

"Well," Daniel started, putting down the glass of water. "I _did_ see my family die before my eyes as a result of a bad choice of mine," he pointed out. "This treats major depression and anxiety," he said and picked up the bottle, shaking it, pleased when there was no sound. "I've been off this for a while now, though. I guess I forgot to take it out of my bag." Daniel lightly tossed the empty bottle at the trash bin, grinning when it went in.

"_This _is my primary medication; however,it's a little more difficult to explain..." Daniel trailed off, frowning slightly, finger delicately balanced on the lid of the container. "These pills are for if there's downtime between when I can get the shot and when my current one runs out."

"You take medicine in a shot?"

"Yeah. It lasts for 2 weeks," Daniel said offhand. "Which reminds me that I have to find a doctor around here to prescribe it for me if I don't want to relapse since I'm nearly out of pills...anyway."

Daniel's hand moved to the third bottle. "This is a mood-stabilizer. I'm actually off it, too. Once I was correctly diagnosed this and the anti-depressant became obsolete, as my main one takes care of everything..."

"Why did you need a mood stabilizer?"

"It was the whole family-dies-in-front-of-me-_because_-of-me thing. You don't go through something like that and _not_ end up with some interesting emotional results."

Danny smiled sheepishly before his shoulders slumped and he looked serious and sad. "It must've been pretty bad...going through that."

Daniel paused and thought for before holding out his arms. "Look."

Danny looked over and saw various old scars cutting across Daniel's wrists as well as one dangerously long one running up his left forearm. "The ones _across_ my wrists I saw as a way to bleed the pain away. Thought that maybe the physical release would help. Of course, it didn't." The fingers of Daniel's right hand trailed up the scar of a long gash up his left forearm. "I almost did myself in with this one. It's hard to die from slashes _across_ your wrists. The blood vessels are small and heal relatively quickly. You go _up_ your arm, though...that's a sure way to sign your death certificate _(too bad it didn't work)_."

Danny's head snapped up quickly to look at the older teen. "Seriously?" he asked, voice trembling slightly in awed fear.

Daniel nodded, eyes closing, a brief flash of pain crossing his face as he leaned back against the couch. "I...it was a dark time. There didn't seem to be any reason to me living. Everyone else was dead—why shouldn't I be? Nothing got through to me...nothing mattered. I was lucky, actually. My foster father caught me before I bled out too much. Got me to a hospital in time." Daniel sighed and ran his fingers idly over the scar.

"It was after we had a long, loud argument that he scheduled me visits to a psychiatrist, which is how I ended up with those medications. I have to be very careful, though—if I'm _not_ I could really screw myself."

"Oh. Man. Um..."

Daniel shook his head slowly. "I also have sessions with a psychologist, but I can't get to her now that I'm _here_. She's back where I lived with my father."

Danny looked concerned. "You gonna be okay?"

Daniel lightly ruffled his younger self's hair. "Of course. Nothing holds me down for long anymore. That one experience was enough."

"But--!"

"Look," Daniel said, silencing Danny's protest with a hand over his mouth. "I survived. I've grown stronger. I won't allow myself to become that person again because I don't _like_ that person. I'm flattered you care about me, I really am. I got by for 2 years without you, though. So...you don't _have_ to worry about me." Daniel removed his hand, giving the younger teen a wry smile. "But...it's nice knowing someone beside my father does."

"Well, I mean, you're kind of like an older brother, somehow."

Daniel smiled faintly. "I'm flattered." Daniel pushed the medication towards Danny. "Put those away for me?"

Danny stood and Daniel sighed once he was in the bathroom. A finger idly traced the scar and he shook his head slowly. Never again...

"How old are you?" Danny asked as he returned to what served as Daniel's living room.

"Why are you curious?"

"Just because."

Daniel laughed. "I'll be 19 next Tuesday."

"WHAT?!" Danny exclaimed. "Next Tuesday is _my_ birthday too!"

Daniel did his best to pull off 'surprised'. "Really? How old are _you_ turning?"

"16," Danny answered.

Daniel smiled slightly, before a thought unfurled into his mind. "Have anything planned?" he asked slowly.

"No, not really."

"Well, then. Why don't we go out and have a little party for ourselves?"

"What?" Danny asked, intrigued. "You'd really do that?"

"Yes, I would. Do you have anything in particular you want to do?"

Danny paused, thinking, as Daniel forced his hands still, keeping himself from playing with the bandages covering his arm and leg.

"Huh. That's a surprisingly hard question."

"Well, you still have time. Just tell me by Sunday so I can arrange stuff."

Danny nodded and sat back, sinking into the couch with a sigh.

"Don't pass out here," Daniel told his younger self with a poke. "Go home and catch your sleep there."

"What?"

"Go home. Sleep. If you stayed here, I'd forget to wake you up and _that_ would get both of us in trouble."

Danny made a wordless sound of protest, but heaved himself to his feet and turned into his ghostly form. Daniel stood and walked slowly over to the lock and turned off the ghost shield. Danny waved a tired good-bye before vanishing, Daniel closing the ghost shield behind him.

Daniel sighed, smiling faintly, and looked at his arm.

_You're the first person I've told about those things _ever_. Not even my friends at home know about everything I take or what I've done (don't know _how sick _you are)_. _Albeit, I left out a few things, but...you got more truth than anyone else but _my_ Vlad has heard._

Daniel shook his head and laid down on the couch, sighing. He couldn't bring up the motivation to go into his own room. The couch was comfortable enough anyway.

Daniel closed his eyes and quickly fell into a deep, thankfully dreamless, sleep.

--

Daniel shifted in the chair and sighed inwardly.

_I feel like I'm home,_ he groused. _It was more of a politely phrased summons than a request. God, there are times I still hate the prick._

Two days after his _idiotic_ decision to help the Mayor he had received another letter via ghostly messenger, and as his temper was frayed from his inability to find a doctor willing to prescribe what he needed, he nearly gave away one of his secrets—the half ghost one. He desperately wanted to deliver an ecto-beam to the face of the ghost, but (barely) kept his cool and took the letter without any signs of agitation. He closed the door perhaps a little _too_ emphatically, but it was a passive way of indicating his displeasure that wouldn't have people asking questions that he didn't want to give answers to.

The letter from the Mayor had been a 'request' to see and thank Daniel for 'saving his life'. The man 'wanted to find the correct way to thank him', at least according to the letter.

Daniel knew it was absolute bullshit, but there wasn't any way he could say 'no' without making Vlad look at him closer, which was something he hoped to avoid.

_That_ was why he found himself, once again, waiting in the office of the Mayor.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, sir?" Daniel asked as the man entered the office.

"I wanted to thank you."

"You're welcome." Daniel replied succinctly. He had originally planned on sleeping until 3PM, as he had the day off from ING _and_ the electronics store and he needed the sleep. Instead, he had to get up at his normal time to keep the Mayor out of his business. "Now, you must be a busy man and surely you've wasted enough time on me."

Vlad raised an eyebrow in an infuriatingly familiar way. "Nonsense. I set aside this time to see you. Afterall, you _did_ save my life," he said, putting a hand on Daniel's shoulder.

_I saved your life because if I hadn't your secret would have been revealed! And...even though you're not _my_ time's Vlad, you still count...in a weird way._

Daniel just barely kept himself from shrugging off the man's hand, not appreciating the contact.

"You really did me a substantial favor," Vlad said smoothly as he moved around Daniel, situating himself behind his desk.

Daniel kept himself from scowling before replying: "It was nothing."

"Hm? Oh, no. I don't know if I can thank you enough for the service you did me—and Amity Park, for that matter."

Daniel rolled his eyes inwardly, but merely shrugged an repeated, "It was nothing."

"Not if it hurt you," Vlad pointed out. "May I ask _why_ you saved me?"

Daniel paused and thought before he gave the billionaire the same answer he had given Danny: "It was the right thing to do."

He expected Vlad to _not_ take it at surface value, and wasn't disappointed.

"You still could have chosen differently."

"Yeah, I know. But I chose to help you. The end."

"You've just moved here, though. Surely you wouldn't care enough about a leader you've hardly ever heard good things about."

"You're a manipulative asshole, yeah, but if there's something I can do to stop someone from dying, I _will,_" Danny replied dryly.

"Not many dare be so candid with me."

Daniel winced inwardly. Crap. He had been treating the man like his father and not someone he'd only recently met.

"My father constantly tells me that I should learn to make sure I don't speak my mind. Says too many people are ready to pounce and twist my words, no matter how good the intention was when spoken," Daniel said, looking at the floor.

"Good advice."

_You _would_ think so, since you're the one who told me,_ Daniel thought dryly.

"In any event, I don't like being in debt to anyone. Is there any renumeration I can provide for your service to me?"

Daniel hesitated for a moment, mulling over and idea.

He only barely kept the smirk off his face. Yes...yes, that would work.

"Well, sir, I don't know...I never expected to have such a..._generous_...offer from anyone," he said slowly, thoughtfully, "and right now I can't think of anything, your _kindness_ being much unexpected. Is it alright if I take a raincheck on it? I need a little time to think..."

Oh, the brief flash of wary suspicion across the billionaire's face was priceless. Having a favor to hang over Vlad's head would be a wonderful turn of events, but he'd have to work for it.

It promised to be terrible amounts of fun.

"I'm sorry, but I just _couldn't_ do that. The human mind is prone to forgetfulness, afterall, and I don't want to leave your help...unrewarded."

_AKA I want to get you on my side by providing whatever your heart desires—within limits known to me but not to you—and _don't_ want to be left in suspense as to what you could possibly be planning_.

"There _are_ ways of making sure you won't forget," Daniel pointed out. "It _is_ possible to document and record such things, because I can honestly tell you that I can't think of anything right now."

Okay, that was a lie. He _could_ and _had_ thought of things that Vlad could possibly do for him, but the prospect of an IOU from Vlad was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.

"I looked for you in the system."

_Switching tactics, are we_? "Oh? So you could just take a guess at what I would want and leave it at that? A fruit basket or something?" _(fruit basket from the "frootloop" to a real one)_

"You weren't there," Vlad told him.

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked innocently.

"You weren't in government data bases at all."

"Oh, hacked into the system, did we now? That's illegal, you know," Daniel said, beginning to unwind, relaxing at the familiar banter.

"Not as illegal as removing yourself entirely from it."

"I told you I covered my tracks, didn't I?" Daniel reminded him.

"Then you must have hacked into the system as well."

"No, I didn't. I'm not that good with computers," Daniel replied, lying casually about his skills.

"Then how?"

"My father has a substantial fortune. He was kind enough to lend me enough to convince a government official to remove me from the system. Of course, he then promptly cut me off from the assets I had access to and left me only with enough to establish myself somewhere cheap. It was then up to me to find a way to survive on my own," he said, the lie coming easily to his lips.

"Oh? Who is he? I might know him."

Daniel was unable to stop the wry smile that formed on his face. "You might."

"His name...?"

Daniel fell silent, giving Vlad a weighing look before asking, "Why do you care?"

"So I could contact him and maybe establish you back in his good graces as a way to repay you for services rendered."

Daniel shook his head slowly. _Saw that one coming from a mile away_. "You wouldn't be able to do that."

"Oh?"

Daniel shrugged. "He's a stubborn old git sometimes. I think that not even an order from the President of the United States would change his mind once he's got the bit between his teeth," Daniel said dryly.

Vlad's lips quirked slightly in what _could_ have been called a smirk, making Daniel give him a small, wry smile in return.

"Thank you for the offer to try, though; however, accustomed as I may be to the finer things in life, I find scraping by to be perversely fun," Daniel confessed, a distinct note of baffled amusement in his voice.

"You're young. I suppose the experience is good for you."

"I guess. It certainly is teaching me many...useful...things."

"Such as...?"

Daniel smiled enigmatically and shrugged, indicating that it didn't matter.

"This is a one-time offer, Daniel," Vlad reminded him, bringing them back to their original topic of conversation. "I suggest you decide now."

"Then I decide to decide later. I told you—this kindness was sudden and unexpected. I just..." Daniel sighed and shook his head. "Nothing comes to mind right now."

Vlad was hiding his annoyance admirably; however, Daniel became wary when he saw the familiar calculating light-bulb go off behind Vlad's eyes.

"Very well, I will give you some time to think on it."

"How long?" Daniel asked, keeping his wariness tightly under control.

"A day."

"That's not long enough!"

"Oh?"

"A month."

"Far too long. 3 days."

"3 weeks."

"You're trying my patience, young man. 5 days."

"2 weeks."

The sheer stubbornness in Daniel's voice made it quite clear that he would make no further concessions, and he could see that it irritated the Mayor to no end.

"Why do you want so long?"

"Because I want to make _sure_ that what you give me is worth the same as saving your life."

Silence fell between them as the two observed each other, each thinking very different thoughts, with neither able to guess what the other's may be.

Daniel, on his part, was pondering where the similarities between how he and Plasmius felt lie.

_Let's start with the obvious: male, half ghost, share a last name and, as far as I know, some powers. Our fighting styles tend to differ, but our modes of thinking...not so much anymore. I think...I'll have to fight him to be absolutely certain where the differences and similarities lies, but..._

"Why am I even arguing with you about this?" Vlad wondered aloud, drawing Daniel out of his revere.

"Because I bet not many people _do_ argue with you. I'm guessing most just go along with what you say, right? Having someone resist you in an _intelligent_ manner must be rare, so you're actually finding yourself enjoying it," Daniel speculated, leaning back in the chair.

Vlad frowned. "That's absurd."

"Mm, maybe," Daniel murmured, and crossed his arms. "Do we have a deal or not, Mayor Masters, sir? I have two weeks to give you an answer. After that you have no obligation to even return a contact of mine. Is that acceptable?" he posed coolly, voice and posture giving nothing of his thoughts away.

There was another silence before the Mayor shook his head-not in denial, but in disbelief. "You are a remarkable young man."

"Oh? So you agree to it?"

"Since I _am_ giving you time, I won't do just _anything_ for you. It has to be within reason and _I_ get to decide what that means."

"Now _that's_ absurd," Daniel protested. "I could hypothetically ask for a candy bar and you could say 'no' for one reason or another."

"What makes you have such little trust in me?"

_Aside from having lived with you and knowing how well you can get around doing things? Oh, nothing much..._ "You don't exactly have the most credible of track records here, at least, according to those I've spoken to."

"Is that so? Well, then. How we we prove our sincerity to the other?"

"We _can't_," Daniel told him with a sigh. "So it, unfortunately, comes down to whether or not we're willing to trust the other in spite of intentions, whether for good or ill matters not."

Vlad gave him a weighing look. "I see. Very well. You have two weeks, but with each passing day I will be less willing to do anything for you."

"Fine." Daniel pushed himself to his feet and extended his hand to the Mayor for a shake. "It was a...pleasure...talking with you, sir."

Vlad raised an eyebrow in an irritatingly familiar gesture before taking Daniel's hand in his own and giving it a firm shake. "It's easy enough to contact me."

Daniel nodded and walked out of the office, closing the door behind him, allowing himself a sigh only once he was out of City Hall and back in the sweltering near-summer heat. He shook his head as he walked away, a small smile forming on his face. He was, frankly, amazed at how truthful he had been while giving very little away.

_A two week IOU, huh? Not bad. This Vlad's just as conniving, but seems to lack the finesse that comes from dealing with the roller-coaster of emotions of a less-than-stable teenager._

Daniel smirked faintly and looked at his hand. _He was watching me as closely as I was watching him. He still hasn't figured me out, mostly because we don't deal with each other on a regular basis and none of his goons can get into my apartment. We'll see how this goes..._

Daniel lazily dodged a net sent his way and looked over at a slightly confused Skulker, obviously amused.

"I think you're mistaking me for someone else," he told the hunter, who looked between him and the equipment he carried, obviously startled.

Daniel couldn't restrain a smirk—his ghostly presence had completely disappeared from Skulker's equipment. There was no-one better than he at stealth in his home time-line, and he highly suspected that such was also the case here.

Daniel chuckled at the look on Skulker's mechanical face and walked away—he wasn't worth the energy to fight right now. However, the fact that he _had_ attracted Skulker's attention could mean a number of things: 1) He felt like _Danny_, 2) He felt like a _ghost_ that Skulker hadn't come across, or 3) that he wasn't like anything else the 'hunter' had encountered before.

None of these were good things, though, and meant that he would have top be even more careful. He didn't know what the effect of his ghostly presence would be, but he'd rather not find out unless it was on his own volition.

It was kind of like him not telling Danny entirely about himself—he didn't know what finding out he was an alternative future him could do, but he felt it was probably something better left undiscovered.

He entered his apartment, another small sigh escaping his lips.

Well, he was up for the day. Might as well at least _try_ to get something productive done. He walked over to his laptop and opened it, quickly typing in the password to unlock it. He sat down and opened his clues file and leaned back in the couch, letting his mind drift as he idly scanned what he had accumulated.

Very, very slowly he sat up, eyes widening. Could _that_ be it?

Yes...yes, that _would_ make sense. But...

He wasn't sure yet. It would take more observation. More investigation. But if that indeed _was_ the case...

_What the _hell_ have I gotten myself into _ ?


	8. Friends

**Author: Ha ha we're doing Thursday _evening_ updates now. Again, I just want to take the time to thank everyone who reads this story--it means a lot to me to know that people are enjoying what I write.**

**Look, it's the Disclaimer: DP and all associated things are not mine. Although I am going to soon own a T-shirt with Clockwork on it. **

**Chapter 8**

"I don't get it! We've been filing everything correctly, on time, and we've actually started _making_ money since the addition of the snacks and soda machines. Why on _earth_ would they say we're being irresponsible enough to close us down?" Mark said heatedly, looking at the piece of paper before him.

Daniel was eerily silent, a thoughtful look on his face. If Mark hadn't been so worried about his livelihood, he would have been nervous—Daniel didn't _usually_ act like he was, at least not around him.

"How much time do we have?" Daniel asked calmly, interrupting Mark's rant.

"2 weeks," came the off-handed reply.

"Mm..." Daniel returned to thoughtful silence, obviously turning something over in his head. He stood after a long moment, stretching, and gave his boss a small, reassuring smile. "Don't worry. In two weeks, we'll still be up and running."

"You're certain?"

"Absolutely," Daniel purred, the smile quickly turning into a smirk that screamed '_DANGER!'_ in Mark's mind, confusing the man.

"Okay...you're not planning on doing anything stupid?"

Daniel scoffed. "No way! I don't want attention, so don't worry." The smile returned, Daniel's voice and posture softening. "Just keep yourself together. We don't need you falling apart—that's the worst possible thing that could happen. I'm going to get settled in the arcade now. Remember—try to stay calm." Daniel waved himself out the door, and kept a neutral, thoughtful expression on his face as he set himself up in the building, the regulars recognizing and greeting him. He had become almost a...mascot of the place, especially since after he came the arcade had increased in quality and popularity exponentially after a few false starts.

He took his laptop out of its hidden compartment and sat down in his chair, plugging the computer in and getting comfortable. Things wouldn't start picking up for a while, which meant Daniel had time. He turned on the computer and accessed a nearby wireless provider, pulling up a window.

So, someone had become jealous, or had just found that, as his arcade was the most profitable, had begun to dip into the profits, albeit not professionally or carefully enough to keep the arcade from being suspect and so needing to be shut down. He'd just have to find out _who_.

It actually wouldn't be that hard. Sure, he didn't have the kinds of connections and influence that he had at home, but he knew enough to be dangerous to a number of people, which meant he'd be able to pull a number of strings if absolutely necessary. For the moment, though, he'd do some research on his own. Look into the company the arcade answered to, its history, goals, accomplishments, etc. He'd then do some personnel digging. All of these things were _very_ easy in the modern information age—databases weren't half as protected as people thought they were_ (weak like you). _

He wouldn't hack unless it was absolutely necessary, and if it _had_ to come to that...well, he knew a number of legal ways to get around the term "hack" by using outside sources that could never be connected to him and cloak the reason for his desire for the data in a number of different ways. It would be simple—he'd done it before with particularly pesky businesses that sought to overthrow Vlad's stranglehold on a corner of the market. He wouldn't be able to provide monetary incentives for people to shut up, but there were other ways on ensnaring people that would keep them quiet and _terrified._

He pulled up the company's home-page and began to slowly, carefully scroll through it, analyzing every phrase, every word choice. Sometimes he could catch them even in just how they phrased statements. He moved carefully through each page until business started to pick up, after which he cleared his history and cookies and closed the laptop, making it invisible before sliding it under his seat.

Two weeks?

He'd only need one to completely ruin whomever was trying to shut them down. When someone threatened what was _his—_no matter what it might be—they tended to regret it in short order.

The dim light hid the dark, malevolent smirk that crept across his features, and he allowed a small, soft chuckle to escape him before he leaned back and began to observe his business through half-open eyes, the very picture of a waiting predator.

He hadn't had to do this in a while.

He had forgotten how much of a dangerous, thrilling high it provided.

--

Daniel smiled at the teen as Danny approached. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," Danny said with a shrug. "Just checking up on you."

"Thanks, mother."

Daniel was treated to a brief smile.

"Um...you got time?" Danny asked, fidgeting slightly, which served to intrigue the older teen.

Daniel paused and thought. "I should. Why?"

"Sam and Tuck want to meet you."

"Who?"

"My two best friends, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Why do they want to meet me?"

"Well, I happened to mention you as an explanation as to why my grades were getting better, and they got curious."

"I see. Well, I'll go run my taking a break by Mark. I don't think he'll mind watching the arcade for a little bit." Daniel stood with a sigh and cracked his back. He was two days into his search and the paper trail he was following was quite convoluted, which meant he was having far too much fun.

Daniel walked leisurely to the office and stuck his head in, catching Mark working on a few documents by hand. "Hey, Mark?"

"Hm? Oh, hey Daniel. What's up?"

"I have a few people I need to meet. I'll be gone for just around half an hour or so. That okay?"

"You have friends?" Mark teased and Daniel rolled his eyes. "Sure, go ahead. I'd say 'take the rest of the night off', but you would never do that."

Daniel snorted and gave his employer a small smile before ducking out of the office and returning to Danny, who was poking at his computer.

Daniel moved faster than anyone would have given him credit for and gently, but quickly, closed the cover, almost catching Danny's fingers.

The younger teen pulled his hands back quickly and gave Daniel a puzzled look. "What was _that_ for?"

"I got permission from the boss to take time off. Shall we go?" Daniel took the laptop and put it in the safe compartment he had made for it, locking it in, again using both ghost and human-proof locks, evading the question.

He received a confused look from his younger self that he just returned with a skeptical one, making the younger teen roll his eyes in frustration. "C'mon."

Daniel followed his younger self out of the arcade, falling into step next to him, unhappy with the muggy weather. "How can you fight in this?" Daniel groused, wiping the sweat off the back of his neck, keeping it from trickling slowly down his back.

"I dunno...whenever I'm in that form I'm fine. I think it's because of the ice energy I can use. It keeps my body colder than normal people's, I guess."

"So I'm guessing that if a doctor had to take your temperature he'd think you're dead from how low your core temperature is?"  
Danny frowned. "I...never thought of that."

Daniel smiled wryly. He remembered the first time he had gotten sick enough to have to see a doctor—_that_ had been interesting. When one of the first questions after taking the usual physical examination (breathing, heartbeat, eyes, ears, throat, temperature) was, "How are you alive?" things have a tendency to become interesting.

The visit had ended in Vlad telling the doctor never to speak of it. Forcefully, but politely. As nothing had happened, the doctor must have stayed silent on the fact that Daniel's body held a steady temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit and he was functioning perfectly. He supposed it _was_ because of the ice energy that permeated his being even when he wasn't in ghost form.

He had learned to force his body warm by burning said ice energy, as the exertion of power brought up his core temperature to its normal level. Doing so kept people from becoming nervous when he touched them—feeling as if one is clasping hands with a corpse tends to be unnerving for the majority of the population.

"So where are we meeting Samantha and Tucker?" Daniel asked.

"Nasty Burger," Danny replied and Daniel wrinkled his nose. Fast food? _Seriously? _He _had_ become spoiled, hadn't he?

"What, don't like it?"

"I haven't eaten fast food in _years_," Daniel replied dryly. "I wonder if my body could take it."

Danny snickered, and Daniel gave him a small smile.

"Have you figured out what you want to do for your birthday?"

"Huh? Oh, uh...I haven't really thought about it much, actually," Danny confessed with a sheepish smile. "School and ghosts and staying alive have kinda taken up all my brain space."

Daniel smirked slightly. "Then there mustn't be much in there to start with."

"Hey!"

Daniel easily dodged a half-hearted swipe, grinning. "Seriously, though. The clock is ticking."

"Well...you said it'll be just me and you?"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No...not really." Danny sighed. "I just want a vacation from ghost-hunting, just for one day."

Daniel looked thoughtful for a moment before replying slowly, "You _could_ just leave things to Valerie for a day. I doubt she would mind."

"Yeah, but--"

"'But' what? You _know_ that Valerie is strong, since she _does_ gives you a run for your money every time that you fight. Most of the ghosts you've come across before she should be able to handle."

Danny bit his lip, obviously uncomfortable.

"Look, if things start looking like they're getting _too_ far out of hand, you can step in. Still. Try to trust Valerie for once—she's stronger than you think she is."

"How do you know?"

"Just a guess...and because I catch her fighting ghosts as often as I see you doing so. You're both _very_ prominent figures in this town, y'know. Pick up the local gossip column and you'll see all sorts of interesting details about you and her that you don't know about."

"Wait, what?!"

Daniel laughed as Danny began to pester the older teen for explanation.

"Look, we'll deal with that later—I'll show you your fan-sites."

"_Fan-sites?!_"

Daniel grinned and nodded. "Fan-sites."

Danny groaned, making Daniel snicker. "I can _probably_ get us a car, so we can travel if you want to. Just no video-games for me," Daniel said, changing the topic back to the potential birthday celebration.

Danny grinned. "Duh. No games for you, no ghosts for me."

"Exactly. There aren't any good movies out right now, so that's out..."

"It's on a _school-day, _too, which is a bummer."

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, that does suck a little. We can put it off to the next weekend, if you want to."

"I guess...I still don't know what we could do."

"Well, we could take a day-trip to one of the nearby cities."

"That doesn't sounds like a bad idea...but which?"

"Depends. I'm familiar with most of them, so I can find tons of stuff for us to do no matter where we go."

"Uh-huh. How exactly did you get familiar with them?"

"My father goes on many business trips and as he didn't trust me to not make a mess of things if he left me on my own he brought me along for the ride. Not that he let me slack off at all," Daniel groused. "Although I still managed to sneak away anyway..."

Danny snickered softly.

"So, seriously. If there's any place that you want to explore that can be made into a day-trip, just tell me. I'll arrange transportation somehow."

"There's also a theme park nearby...just a few hours' drive."

"True..." Daniel's voice died and he stopped walking as the Nasty Burger loomed into view, his mouth suddenly becoming very dry.

_(all your fault. All your fault that they're dead and gone yet you're still alive.)_

Daniel struggled to control his breathing as the Nasty Burger seemed to take up every inch of his vision.

_Daniel, calm down, you can't afford to lose it now._

"Daniel? You okay?"

Daniel gave his younger self a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Daniel took a deep breath. "We shouldn't keep your friends waiting."

Danny frowned slightly, but nodded. "Okay."

Daniel followed Danny into the Nasty Burger, and the minute that he set foot in the air conditioning, the _moment_ he smelled the food, the grease, _everything_...

He wasn't seeing it as it was in this time line...

He saw it as it was last in _his_.

The charred seat cushions...

The melted plastic...

The blackened floor tiles...

The singed metal...

...and yet...

There were no bodies.

It lasted only the briefest of moments, Daniel's stride hitching slightly, Danny able to interpret it as simply nervousness at meeting his friends, which made the younger half-ghost smile slightly at the thought that the normally composed teen would be uncertain at all.

Daniel forced himself calm, pulling in all his haywire emotions, organizing his scattered thoughts, setting them right, as if picking up a floor littered with papers and putting them in folders to be neatly stacked on shelves.

He had to be able to function. He _had_ to.

"Daniel, these two guys are Sam and Tucker," Danny said once they reached the booth where the two were waiting and Daniel gave them both an easy smile.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet the two people who Danny speaks most highly of," he murmured, the perfect picture of suave confidence. He looked at Danny with a slightly raised eyebrow. "I assume that since they're not berating me with questions that you neglected to tell them my last name."

"What?" Sam asked, eyes narrowing as she looked at Danny, slightly suspicious as Danny smiled nervously and fidgeted.

"I figured that it would be best," Danny told the older teen softly. "Would keep them from hunting you down."

"Mm. And Sam _would_ do that, wouldn't she?" Daniel murmured softly to himself.

"What?" Danny asked, not catching what Daniel had said.

Daniel ignored the question and executed a small, polite bow, before speaking, addressing Sam: "My lady, my name is Daniel Masters, and before you exclaim in surprise and demand an explanation, no, I am _not_ related to the Mayor." His eyes were laughing as a shocked look flickered over her features, Tucker equally staring. "What _I_ want to know is why everyone connects me with him the moment they hear my last name. Surely 'Masters' isn't _that_ rare."

"Well, it's rarer than a lot of other names," Tucker said. "It's also statistically small for two people who are unrelated to each other in some way with a fairly uncommon name to live in the same town at one time."

Daniel shrugged. "But it's not impossible."

"Very little is."

"_That's_ true," Daniel and Danny said in tandem, almost the exact same inflection in their voices.

The four assembled all blinked and the two Dannys looked at each other. There was a pause and a smile began to pull on Daniel's lips and Danny couldn't stop the snicker entirely.

"Do you guys do that often?"

"No," Daniel said, shaking his head. "That's actually never happened before." Daniel paused. "Can I sit down?"

"Sure," Sam said and gestured next to the seat next to Tucker, which Daniel took.

"So, feel free to ask me questions now that I'm seated and vaguely comfortable," Daniel said, leaning back in the seat, arms lightly crossed, looking perfectly calm, perhaps even faintly amused.

"Where are you from?"

"Wisconsin."

"Why are you here?"

"My dad kicked me out."

"Why?"

"Did he kick me out? Because I wanted to put off attending college for a year to get a taste of 'real' life."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Why did you come _here_?"

"It wasn't really _planned_. I got on the closest Greyhound and rode it until they discovered I had neglected to pay for a ticket, upon which they kicked me off. I then wandered to the closest point of civilization, which happened to be here."

"How did you meet Danny?"

"He was thrown into my arms."

"What?"

"I was fighting Skulker, and he knocked me into Daniel," Danny hurriedly explained, giving Daniel a brief dirty look which Daniel returned with a small smug smile.

"Upon whom he promptly passed out which led to a revelation of an...interesting...little secret."

The two other teens gave Daniel a sharp look that he returned with one of his own that he _knew_ would irritate them.

It did. He saw Sam's eyebrow twitch and Tucker frown and he received a kick under the table for deliberately provoking the two teens.

"Anything else?"

"What's your family like?"

"It's just me and my father."

"What does your dad do?"

"He's in business."

"What do _you_ want to do?"

"I guess...go into business as well. I don't know at what level, though. I'm having fun helping to manage the arcade, but the everyday details are getting tiresome and it's not all that stable."

"What's your relationship with Danny?"

"_Are_ we in a relationship, Danny?" Daniel asked slyly.

"No!" the teen protested.

Daniel laughed. "He's like a little brother to me," Daniel told Sam with a smile. "He comes to me whenever he needs advice, which is alarmingly often," he concluded dryly.

"Hey!"

Daniel easily dodged the playful punch across the table and gave the half-ghost an irritating grin that made Danny scowl.

"Where do you live here?"

"The old apartment complex on Rose and Englewood."

"Wait, you mean the one where _Valerie_ lives?" Sam half-exclaimed, looking quickly over at Danny, who shrugged.

"There's never been any problems."

_Because we live on different floors, Danny comes at odd hours, and as I have a strong sense of self-preservation, there's no way I would let her in my apartment,_ Danny thought, watching Sam berate Danny for not being careful.

"If Valerie tried to do anything to Danny, I would protect him," Daniel said, catching all the teens' attention. "Valerie might be willing to do things to Danny, being what he is, but she would be reluctant to do anything to a human," he said with a small shrug as he spoke.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you like Danny so much? Why are you taking such an interest in him? Why are you being so nice? Most people wouldn't be able to deal with all the ghost activity that happens here with the nonchalance that you do."

"Would you rather I scream and run away in fear like a chicken with my head cut off? No, thank you," Daniel told her dryly. "As to why I like and have an interest in Danny..." he looked over at the younger teen and gave him a smile. "I told you. He's like a little brother to me."

"Uh-huh."

Daniel chuckled. "Do I really look that suspicious? I swear I have no bad intentions," he said as he smiled easily. "I _have_ been helping to bring Danny's grades up—surely that counts for something."

Sam had to acquiesce that point.

"You work in an arcade?"

"The one in the newest strip mall."

"Really? _You're_ the one who works there?"

"Yes, why?"

"That's the best arcade in town and it _definitely_ wasn't that way before."

Daniel smiled faintly. "The need for perfection was ground into me by my father."

"Yeah, well, it paid off this time."

Daniel shrugged slightly before looking idly down at his watch and sighing dramatically. "Alas, I must leave you to return to said place of employment. Should you feel that you need more clarification on my personality, please do not hesitate to seek me out. Admittedly, I am not in my apartment often, so finding me at the arcade is best." He slid out of the seat and stood before he gave the three teens a bow with a flourish, making Danny snicker. With an easy smile he turned and walked away from the table.

It was only once he was out the door that he allowed the stress he had been containing to show on his features. Being in the Nasty Burger...that had been _hard._ Every second that he had been in there had been a fight against the memories and the mocking. As he walked along with nothing to distract him, his control began to cave a little.

_Daniel sulked in the Fenton RV, leaning in the back seat with his legs and arms crossed, scowling at the titanium floor. What in the world could Mr. Lancer want? It couldn't have anything to do with the test, afterall. No-one knew he had the answers except Sam and Tucker, and they hadn't said anything._

_Right?_

_Anyway, he had been careful when using the answers, taking all the time alloted and when he did have the sheet out, just the smallest exercise of power made them invisible to any prying eyes. There just was no way he could have been caught._

"_Mr. Lancer sounded urgent on the phone. Danny, is something wrong?" his mother asked._

"_No. No, not at all," Daniel answered hurriedly, giving his mother a small smile. "What could be wrong?" he posed as he disembarked._

"_Mr and Mrs. Fenton. Daniel. This is the Nasty Burger. When people fail, this is where they end up, whether they fail because they don't study...or because they cheat," Mr. Lancer said calmly, holding up what Daniel recognized as his copy of the CAT once they stood before the bald, slightly overweight teacher._

_Daniel's parents gasped and a cold shiver ran down his spine that had nothing to do with a ghostly presence. _

How? How did he find out?

"_Danny, is this true?" his father demanded. _

"_Did you cheat?" his mother asked, voice hurt._

"_I have no idea what he's talking about!" Daniel insisted, trying to be angry to hide the fear. "Would I cheat?"_

"_No matter what you may say, Daniel, the results don't lie."_

"_Danny, what's going on?"_

_Daniel turned and saw his two best friends and sister walking up behind him, moving in front of the Nasty Burger. _

"_Jazz said that you were in trouble."_

"_That's putting it lightly," Mr. Lancer said dryly._

"_If what he says is true, Danny..."_

_Daniel's shoulders tightened and he scowled. "Why aren't you believing me?" A thought dawned on Daniel and he looked quickly at his sister, eyes widening briefly before narrowing in anger. _

Jazz. Somehow Jazz found out and she ratted on me!

"_Is it because Jazz told you? Because Jazz is the straight-A student and I'm not?" his voice was bitter, the pressure of the situation bringing out some of his deeper, hidden resentments._

"_What? No, that's not it, Danny! I'm trying to help you!"_

"_Help me?" Daniel parroted, crossing his arms and giving the ground a dirty look. "How is this helping me?"_

"_Daniel!" his sister exclaimed, hurt._

"_Daniel!" came the rebuke from his mother._

"_Daniel?" came the uneasy question from Sam._

"_Daniel," came the harsh demand for attention from Mr. Lancer._

"_DANIEL!" Tucker exclaimed. _

_Daniel was about to snap something at everyone for getting on his case, becoming quite angry. Didn't he try hard enough? What were they expecting out of him? Perfection? _

_He wouldn't ever be able to ask the question as the Nasty Burger went up in a fireball, catching his family, friends, and former teacher in the blast, searing the flesh off their bones, leaving them no time to do anything but say one last word: _

"_DANIEL!"_

Daniel was pulled forcefully out of his memories when his cell phone went off, making him jump slightly. He flipped it open.

_Unknown number. It better not be a prank call,_ he thought darkly as he shoved the memories to the side. He would need all his wits about him if this was one of the calls he had been waiting for.

"Hello," he said after pressing the button to answer the call, voice smooth, cold, and very much unlike one you would find on a teen.

"Is this one Douglas Martin?"

"This is he."

"I am replying to your call regarding some inquiries."

"Mm," Daniel said as he stopped and leaned against a wooden fence, taking out a pad of paper and a pencil that he had been continuously carrying with him, just in case of this moment. "And?"

As he listened and jotted down all the important information a malignant smirk began to creep across his face.

_Oh, this clarifies a great many things,_ he thought, flipping the notepad shut with a flick of his wrist. "Thank you for your assistance," Daniel purred.

"It was nothing," came the expected reply.

"You have my gratitude anyway. Have a good evening."

Daniel took the phone away from his ear and pressed the end button, quite pleased with how the conversation had gone. He had honed in on a number of suspects, and was now simply looking through any available outside information on them.

It was easy—it always was. Especially when dealing with people who potentially have many enemies as well as ranks of fair-weather friends.

Daniel slipped the phone back into his pocket and sighed, the tension slowly draining away from him as he forced the memories to fade into the back of his mind.

_(You can't ever let anyone get close sicky. You know what happens when people get close to you. Know what happens to _you_ when people get close to you.)_

Daniel rubbed his temples and sighed. He wouldn't, _couldn't_, focus on the memories right now. He had better things to focus on, like finding who was fucking with his business, and making them _regret _it.

--

So, now he had met his friends.

It was funny how much he was dealing with. Someone stealing money from a business he was helping run, aiding a younger self, dealing with interpersonal relationships...his life was _interesting_ and Daniel was thoroughly enjoying the ride. His life at home, while not mundane, certainly wasn't half as challenging as this one.

Sure, his issues still carried over from his home, and they were harder to deal with, since he was living in the past, but he had to survive somehow. He still loathed dealing with environments where he had to interact with tons of people (which was why he was running inventory and not on the floor in the electronics store, was working in the background of an investment firm and was the man behind the curtain at the arcade) and he still had his medical issues (but he had _finally _found a doctor), but overall...life was fairly good.

He was taking a break from working in the electronic store's inventory, turning over the "latest" video game in his hands and smiling. He remembered playing this game...knew its strengths and weaknesses, how to beat the bosses without breaking a sweat, knew it better than any guide book could.

It was much like anything he did anymore, really. Find weaknesses and strengths and _exploit_ them.

His ghost sense went off and he frowned. It was weak, it was harmless...

But it was also from _his_ time.

Which made it worthwhile to capture.

Daniel turned himself invisible and simply waited, watching as the soft green glow approached his position hesitantly. Once it was clearly within his sight he froze it in place, surprising it into squirming, trying to get free. However, after much trial and error, he had finally figured out a way to use his energy to keep ghosts from phasing out of his ice.

"Why, hello," he purred, voice soft and malevolent, a voice that ghosts had learned to fear almost as much as his foster-father's.

"W-Who?! Wha—?" it stuttered, obviously terrified, it words getting cut off as Daniel's ice crept up a little further, securing it in place.

"Who indeed?" Daniel answered, putting down the game and walking over to the ghost, taking its blob of a face in one of his hands, still invisible. "I happen to know that this is not the time that you belong in, so the question is this: what are you doing here?"

"I...well...um..."

"Answer me, ghost," Daniel said coldly, his hand becoming equally cold, making the ghost try to squirm away from his touch.

"I don't know! Really! I was just minding my own business when I was sucked through a portal-ish tear-thingy with tons of other ghosts and ended up here, everything familiar, yet different."

"Mm. Where did those 'other ghosts' end up?"

"I dunno! I was the only one I saw who made it here."

Daniel's eyes narrowed and his voice grew cold. "You're not _lying_ to me, are you? I don't deal well with ghosts who _lie _to me."  
"NO! I'm not lying, I _swear!_" the ghost exclaimed when ice began to creep up the sides of what served as a face.

"Do you know what or who caused the tear?"

"I didn't really see much before I got sucked in."

"Did you notice _anything_?" Daniel asked, his grip slowly tightening.

"A human was nearby! At least, I think it was a human. And there was a ghost, too. They were fighting, I think."

"You 'think' one was a human?" Daniel said, sneering. "Was it or was it not or human?"

"I dunno, seriously! It looked like it had blue skin but it didn't _feel_ like a ghost."

"This is what I get for speaking with weaker, _stupid_ ghosts," Daniel muttered, obviously annoyed. "What did the ghost look like?"

"Its hair was made of flames and it was a guy. That's all I can tell you about him."

"Well, at least you were able to determine gender. Did they say anything?"

"The ghost did, which is how I know it was a guy."  
"What did he say?"

"I don't really remember all that well..."

"_Tell me what you heard._"

"There was something about him not being defeated a second time by his past."

Daniel frowned. The statement was cryptic to him, but he had the oddest feeling that the meaning was close at hand.

"Daniel? You in here?"

Daniel sighed heavily and a copy of him broke off, going to attend to whatever needed to be attended to while he made his captive also invisible.

"What has been happening in the Ghost Zone in general?" he asked softly, and with the drop in volume, his voice seemed somehow more malicious than it had been before.

"Lots of weird things," the ghost replied, looking about nervously while knowing that the possibility of escape was unfortunately slim. "The big guns are starting to act up, in both good and bad ways. There's lots of arguments flying around, and none of them I really understand. All I know is there's this one ghost that everyone's afraid of and who Clockwork has a bone to pick with, which is rare—that ghost _never_ shows his face."

"Clockwork is involved?" Daniel murmured. "This isn't good." It was also confirmation as to one of his hypotheses.

"Tell me about it," the ghost said dryly, making Daniel smirk dangerously. Two thoughts hit Daniel at once that made him frown.

"What is the date there?"

"Huh? I dunno. I don't go to the human world enough to know."  
Daniel kept back a growl of frustration and asked his other question: "Do you know how Vlad Plasmius is doing?"

"Why do you care?"

"Answer the question," Daniel snarled.

"F-Flourishing as usual, last I heard."

Daniel smirked. "Good." There was a pause as Daniel idly stroked the ectoplasmic goo of the ghost's face with his thumb, thinking. "Very well. At least you were of limited use. However...I can't just let you go, now can I?"

"What?"

Daniel's hand moved from the ghost's 'face' and into the main part of what served as its body, he placing a gag on the ghost's mouth to keep it quiet as he searched within it for what served as its core. Once he had found it, his hand closed over it and he began to draw the energy away from supporting the ghost into his own ghost energy, the ghost thrashing against his steely hold.

The ghost's struggles slowly died as it lost physical integrity, parts of the ghost simply abruptly fading into nothingness as its substance drained away from it. By the time Daniel's hand closed entirely, nothing was left of what had once been a ghost, for that which had made it a ghost—its energy and its will—were completely gone.

Daniel sighed and ran a hand through his hair after making sure his hands were clean, a small smile on his face from the boost in strength and energy. He had a little more information—not much, really, but he couldn't expect much from as weak a ghost he had trapped. Still...

_A ghost Clockwork has issues with, a 'human' with 'blue skin', and a ghost with flame-hair...I wonder if they're working together or not. From what the ghost said I suspect the human and the flame-haired ghost aren't, but as it didn't see how the 'argument' ended, it's possible that they may have reconciled and joined up. _

Daniel sighed as he walked out of the storeroom, blending seamlessly into his clone. _There are also the questions of who is trying to kill Danny, why they want Danny gone, and how I'm expected to solve this problem I've been tossed into. In any case, things are beginning to look very dangerous. Which means I have to get on training Danny. The question is how..._


	9. Family

**Author**: Again, I want to thank you all for reading, reviewing, story alerting/plusing-ing and whatnot. I am truly flattered. I hope you continue to enjoy my scribblings.

**Disclaimer: **I am still not the owner of Danny Phantom _nor_ that Clockwork T-shirt I've been waiting on...

**Chapter 9**

"Daniel!" the last desperate cry of his doomed family.

"**No**!"

He found himself flung backwards and performed a few rotations as he skidded along the asphalt, the heat and guilt searing through him, the physical pain a distant feeling. He reached out blindly with his hands, seeking to dig into the road to stop himself. He managed to do so and looked up in horror at the fading heat and light. He pushed himself to his feet and lunged forward, tripping over himself, falling flat before he pushed himself up again, not conscious of the tears streaming down his face. He reached the remnants of the Nasty Burger quickly and began searching through it.

'Maybe something happened. Maybe they got lucky. Maybe they're _not_ gone.'

He knew it was a futile, stupid hope, but he _had_ to hope. If he didn't...he'd break.

When the firemen and police arrived at the scene, they found Daniel sitting in the middle of the wreckage, holding a torn, burnt, red cap to his chest, shattered pain and depthless guilt reflected in his eyes and posture as he was led meekly away to be asked questions later as to exactly what happened.

--

"Daniel!" The angry rebuke of the man who saved his life.

"_What?_" Daniel snapped, hopelessness in his eyes and voice.

"Why the _hell_ would you try to pull a stunt like that?"

"Because I _don't deserve to live!_ I'm sick and evil and a monster and _they know,"_ Daniel said, voice broken and desperate, hands clutching his head. "I've killed before and they _know_ I'll kill again and I've got to die to keep myself from doing everything I'll do."

"Daniel."

"NO, don't _TOUCH _me! _Let me die!_" Daniel cried, eyes wide and shattered, pressing himself back against the headboard of the hospital bed, recoiling from Vlad's hand. "_They'll_ get you too I'm sick sick evil _wrong_ I'm a waste of space of air I'm drowning on the evil pressing in _I'm_ evil _I'm_ Death no no no—" Daniel's speech quickly lost coherence, semantically sound but without meaning or reason.

"DANIEL."

Daniel froze at Vlad's tone of voice and let Vlad's hands lightly grip his shoulders, forcing their eyes to lock.

"Calm down." Vlad's voice was reasonable, soft, almost kind.

Daniel's body slowly began to relax, and he forced a few more words from his mouth, struggling against the orders he _had_ to follow, focusing as best he could on Vlad: "Scared."

--

_(SICK)_

--

Daniel wrenched himself awake, gasping, his heart pounding, breathing fast and shallow. He closed his eyes and forced his racing heart to slow, counting the beats and controlling his breathing. _I define my sickness. It doesn't define me. _Once calm, he rolled off his bed and onto his feet, walking to the kitchen to get a glass of water, glowering at the floor darkly.

Stupid memories. Stupid breakthroughs.

He looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. It was nearly time for him to get up anyway, so there was no use in trying to go back to sleep. He took out piece of bread and shoved it in the toaster before idly turning on the television. Of course, just to spite him, the first thing that was on the news was a clip about a young man killing his entire family.

He snarled and turned off the TV, throwing the remote onto the couch with a scowl of disgust.

_Why? Why must I _constantly_ be reminded about how badly I fucked up?_ He thought with a grimace, leaning on the counter heavily with one hand while the other grasped his head. _What could have brought on those nightmares?_

He pushed away from the counter and meandered over to his fridge and moved things around in the appliance until he located the butter and took it out, putting it on the counter as the toast popped up. The bread was slightly singed, which is how he preferred it, but the sight of the burned edges reminded him too much of smoking ruins and he yanked out the offending food product and threw it in the garbage in disgust.

"Why? What caused _those_ nightmares? What caused that break? I don't have to worry about missing a dose...is it becoming ineffective? Have I built up a resistance?" Daniel snarled softly, anger hiding his worry, he moving to make coffee.

_Oh. Of _course, he thought dryly, measuring out the coffee. _That _would_ provoke a breakthrough, wouldn't it? _His thoughts turned back to when the breakthrough began.

Danny, in getting swept away in fighting ghosts, had forgotten his school things—_all_ of them—at his, Daniel's, apartment, and as the end of school was steadily approaching, Danny needed them. Since Daniel had the night off from the arcade and nothing better to do, he decided that he would drop them off at Danny's house, forgetting exactly what going to Danny's house meant until he was actually at the place itself.

He had knocked on the door to Fenton Works and sighed. He was on the very doorstep of a house he never thought he'd set foot in again. He wondered idly what _his_ old house looked like in his home time-line.

_It's probably been torn down or adopted by the Guys in White or _something. _Who would buy a house with an active Ghost Portal in it?_

He was about to knock again when a solid wall of bright orange appeared where the door had once been, making Daniel blink.

"Hey, there!"

Daniel had the oddest sensation work its way up his spine as he looked at a living, breathing version of his deceased dad, especially when he realized that his eyes were level with his father's _(he's dead all because of you)_.

"Is Danny home?" he asked, and was very proud that his voice came out smooth and natural even though a familiar wave of dread, of lethargy, began to creep up on him.

"Danny? No, he's out with his friends right now."

_Shit._ "Ah, I see. Well, then--"

"No, come in!"

Daniel was dragged into the Fenton's lair, and he couldn't help but look around curiously. He was amused to find that, really, not much had changed in the time since the...well, since _that_ was avoided here.

It hurt just as much as he thought it would, and was making ignoring how the shadows of the furniture were beginning to move on their own volition hard to ignore.

He was nearly thrown into the sofa and managed—barely—to retain his dignity and composure, doing his best to look like he had _totally_ meant to basically fall onto the couch.

"So, you know Danny?"

"Yeah..." Daniel answered slowly, uncertainly, doing his best to focus through the whispers that were beginning to drown out physical voices.

"Has he told you about ghosts? He seems to be getting into them more lately."

Daniel blinked slowly. "He's mentioned them occasionally." _Ghosts. Ghosts are safe. Focus on ghosts. You _know_ ghosts. Inside and out._

"Really? He's finally getting some of the ol' Fenton spirit. I bet you didn't know..."

Jack started going off about the ectoplasmic entities, and Daniel couldn't help but find himself relaxing, listening with a patient, amused smile to his dad's rant, slowly shoving the whispers back into the nothing where they belonged. If he didn't look at his deceased father's face, he could pretend that he was simply listening to a new person he had met, someone who he might have heard of and dealt with in passing, but never really interacted with. There was still a tingle of deep pain, but it was ignored easily enough and the shadows stilled.

"Jack, who are you talking to?"

Daniel's heart skipped a beat and he could almost _feel_ it start to shatter, and the whispers that had mostly subsided returned to life with a triumphant roar, vying for his attention even as he tried to focus on reality.

His mom _(dead because of you)_.

It took him a long, difficult moment, but he got himself under control without having ever seemed to have lost his cool. He stood and turned to face the living version of his deceased mom. "Hi, my name is Daniel," he told her, and his voice was smooth as silk, relaxed and warm, much the same as his face and posture, although it took him perhaps a little longer than normal to pronounce everything, as if he was taking great care in choosing his words. "I came by to see Danny, but when I heard he wasn't here, your...husband?...was kind enough to invite me in instead of me going home."

"Oh, that's nice. How do you know Danny?"

"I helped him in a tight spot once, and we became friends," he answered as vaguely as possible.

Every syllable either of his—his?—parents spoke was tearing into him, reminding him of how he had placed his own success and desires over the well-being of his friends and family to the point of basically killing them _(murderer evil sick) _(just DIE). Seeing them, speaking with them...it _hurt_ and only years of practice kept him from breaking on the spot.

It was a fight against himself and he was only barely winning.

"What brought you here?"

"Danny left some of his school things in my apartment," he said carefully. Speaking of Danny was a safe topic. As long as they didn't go into his own family or past, he could cling to the relatively stable shores of this odd present/past that he found himself in.

"School things?"

"When he gets stuck on something he comes to me for help," Daniel explained as he took out the textbooks and school supplies that had been left underneath his coffee table and couch from his bag and showed them to Danny's—_not_ his—parents.

"That's awfully kind of you."

Daniel shrugged and smiled, trying to dispel the wariness in Danny's mother's voice. "He's a nice guy. I'm glad I can help him."

"He knows about ghosts, Maddie!" Jack interjected.

"Really now?" Maddie said, looking at Daniel again, who gave her an uncertain smile, containing his unease at how the shadows of the furniture were beginning to move again, coiling about Maddie's ankles and inching to cover his own feet with numbing tentacles that would bind him, consume him.

"Your son has filled me in on a number of things and I've picked up bits and pieces just living here," Daniel replied, focusing with all his might on the conversation.

"Mm."

"Your husband has been telling me all sorts of interesting things I didn't know about g-ghosts," he continued, gesturing to Jack. "I never knew they were so...complicated."

"Especially the ghost boy!"

"What about the ghost boy?" Daniel heard someone ask from behind him.

Daniel turned and gave Jazz an unsure smile, fighting the urge to scrape away at his legs to force the clingy shadows away from him. _They_ wouldn't win this time!

"Daniel! What're you doing here?" Jazz said, surprised.

"Danny left some stuff at my apartment. I'm returning the books and things to him to keep him from failing," he explained, giving Jazz a small smile, voice wavering only the tiniest bit.

"He's left school supplies with you?"

"When he gets stuck he comes to me. It's..." Daniel hesitated, "...frequent," he told Danny's older sister dryly.

Jazz looked annoyed at the information and grumbled something along the lines of 'why doesn't he come to _me_?'

Daniel was beginning to feel lethargic—he was _suffocating _under the memories, under the snide, snickering accusations, and if they only _knew_...If he didn't get away from this situation and _soon..._well, he didn't really want to ponder what could possibly occur _(siiiiiick)_.

The front door opened and Danny's voice rang out: "Hi, I'm ho—Daniel?"

Daniel gave the younger teen a small smile. "You forgot stuff at my place."

"I forgot—oh, that's _right,_" Danny said, recognition dawning on him and a small, sheepish smile formed on his face. He walked over to Daniel and picked up the bag that contained his school supplies while also grabbing Daniel's wrist. "Since you're here you might as well help explain what went on in class today. I can _kinda_ tell you what went on..."

Daniel allowed himself to be dragged away up to Danny's room, and the sight of it made his world move in interesting ways. Everything was _exactly_ the way he remembered it being, from the sheets to the positions of the posters on the walls.

He sat down at Danny's desk and rested his forearms on his thighs, eyes closing, taking in deep breaths, gathering himself and shoving his pain aside, doing his best to quiet his mind.

"Daniel? Daniel, are you okay?" Danny asked, putting a hand on the older teen's shoulder.

_(you're _never _okay.)_

Daniel's eyes opened slightly and he lightly brushed aside Danny's hand, giving him a reassuring smile. "Yeah. Your parents just managed to corner me, and they're both a little intimidating." (Liar). _(it's not good to lie to yourself, Daniel) (_He's sick what can you expect?)

"Intimidating? Seriously?"

"When you get dragged inside a door by what appears to be a solid wall of neon-orange and being talked at about ghosts and _then_ placed under the wary gaze of a protective mother, _you_ see how well you fare," Daniel told the younger half-ghost dryly. Danny was safe. Talking with Danny was _safe._

Danny couldn't help but snort. "I guess. What's _your_ dad like?"

Daniel rolled his eyes, even though a desperate need to see the man nearly swamped him. "Worse."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously," he affirmed.

"Yikes."

"Do you really want my help?" Daniel asked after a moment.

"Yeah, I do," Danny replied and began to toss out all his notebooks and texts from the bag Daniel had brought them in.

"Where do we start?"

"Well..."

The two worked on Danny's homework, Daniel usually merely pointing Danny in the correct direction for the answer and then letting him stumble and growl along until he came to the correct conclusion, upon which Daniel would usually give him a few glowing words of praise that reinforced Danny's success. He had to fight to keep himself coherent, though, and was able to get Danny to laugh off his occasional slips of nonsense.

The cycle of stumbling along until the 'ah-ha!' moment and affirmation was how he learned best. Do things on your own, make your own mistakes, but when everything falls into place, it makes victory seem that much sweeter.

Daniel was going to leave when Danny's mother announced dinner was ready, but the younger half-ghost insisted that he stay.

"You _have_ fed me countless numbers of times," he pointed out, making Daniel sigh.

"Still..." Daniel was just _barely_ keeping himself alert. Another encounter with his dead family had the potential to make him break visibly in front of them.

"You have to conserve your money."

Daniel scowled, but allowed himself to be pulled down the stairs, Danny's homework mostly finished.

Daniel could feel the cold sweat trickling down his back, but betrayed none of his unease. It would have happened at some time or another—knowing Danny, he wouldn't have been able to keep away from his parents forever. Daniel was good at deception. He could do this. He'd survive.

Maybe.

He followed the teen down the stairs and stopped, looking over at another doorway near the entrance to the kitchen.

"What's there?" he asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Huh? Oh, that's where the lab is."

Daniel gave the younger teen a quizzical look.

"Where the Ghost Portal is."

"Mm. Can I see it?"

Danny looked briefly uneasy before shrugging. "Sure. After dinner I'll take you there."

Daniel entered the kitchen and sat down at the table next to Danny, putting himself under iron control. He would _not_ give away anything. He would act perfectly normal, clueless about anything regarding Danny's family, and everything would be _fine;_ however, he wouldn't be able to do much more than function.

"So, you're Daniel...?" Maddie prompted as Daniel took a seat next to his younger self.

"Masters," Daniel supplied, wondering what Danny's parent's reactions would be.

"Hey, that's Vladdy's last name! You know him?"

_Vladdy? I totally have to use that on him when I get back home. It'll drive him up a wall._ "We've met."

"You have?" Jazz and Danny asked at the same time.

"Yeah," Daniel replied. "I helped him...he thanked me." It was getting hard to ignore the order to stay silent, but Daniel knew that Danny and his family expected him to respond. So he would.

"What did you do for him?" Jazz asked, curious.

Daniel replied with a shrug, and caught the skeptical, slightly disbelieving look on Danny's face. Danny obviously thought that saving someone's life was an accomplishment deserving more than just a shrug in the way of explanation.

"But you did enough for him that he would want to thank you."

Daniel nodded, not trusting his voice, fearful that if he spoke it would come out sounding like so much nonsense. Better to be quiet. Then they wouldn't know.

"What did you receive?"

"Nothing, yet."

"I see. I assume from how you speak of him that you aren't previously acquainted."

Daniel shook his head. "Just heard of him."

"Oh?"

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, trying to scrape away at the shadows that clung to it, fingers digging perhaps a little too hard into his flesh, since he could feel wetness against his fingertips. "My father is in business."

"What does he do?"

Daniel shrugged. It wasn't important.

"Do you want to follow in your father's footsteps?"

"Not _entirely_," _I sure as hell don't want to be a lonely old bachelor._ (You're too sick) _(no-one will want to be with _you_.)_

"How, then?"

"Go into business...but not like his."

"What kind of business does he run?"

"Big ones." It was getting harder and harder to speak, to concentrate, tocare. But he _couldn't_ let them see, couldn't let them _know_..._(but they _will_ know, Daniel.) _(They'll know and they'll hate you fear you because you're _sick_)

"So you want to go into small business?"

Daniel nodded. He noticed the frown on Danny's face and gave him what he hoped was a small, reassuring smile. Sure, he wasn't being half as eloquent as he usually was but it wasn't a cause for concern.

Or, at least, that's what he wanted his younger self to think.

"What are you doing now?"

"Working."

"Doing what?"

"Paper-shuffling at ING. Inventory at the electronics store. Helping run an arcade."

"Why are you working so many jobs?"

"My father kicked me out."

"Ouch," Jazz said, wincing slightly. "Why?"

Daniel merely shrugged again, unable to clearly recall the reason he had come up with--it didn't matter anyway.

Maddie looked slightly concerned. "You said your_ father_ kicked you out—what did your mother say to that?"

"She's dead." _(and it's all your fault) _(murderer)

"Oh...I'm sorry."

Daniel shrugged and gave her a weary smile.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Had a sister, but she and dad are dead, too. My 'father' is a...friend of the family."

"Oh...I'm sorry for your loss..."

Daniel looked away, expression pained. _(and to think that it was _all your fault._) (_you know you'll do it again kill again evil sick)

Silence briefly fell before Maddie spoke, once again addressing Daniel: "How exactly did you meet my son?"

Daniel hesitated and looked at Danny briefly before shrugging and deciding to tell mostly the truth. If only things would quiet down enough for him to_ remember_ the truth and not have it come out as so much gibberish."I helped him...when he was hurt...by a ghost." _Right?_

"WHAT?!" Maddie said sharply, lips pulling down in a concerned, slightly angry frown as she looked at her son. "We will be having a talk later, young man."

Danny was torn between looking sheepish and giving Daniel a sullen look for putting him on the spot.

"What did you do after catching my son?"

"I ran," Daniel said with a shrug, "and took care of him." Daniel leaned back in the chair, trying to catch the shadow between his body and the seat-back in order to keep it from hurting anyone. He pushed some food around on his plate. "I told him he could come to me if he needed help." Daniel put down the fork gently, not wanting to wake it. "He helps me as much as I help him." _He's a stabilizer...he lets me keep in touch with my connection to people, with reality._

"I see."

There was a brief silence before Jazz spoke up, turning the conversation away from Daniel and towards other, mundane things that Daniel could merely listen to and not have to worry about having to respond.

_It's funny,_ he reflected, looking this time-line's family over. _When I first saw them it _hurt. _But, now...I look at them and there's an ache...but it's...it's not the sharp, searing, all-consuming pain that I've had to fight against constantly. I'll always miss them—there will always be that part of me that died with them. But...with Vlad, and now this Danny..._

The mocking, derisive laugher blocked out most of a question. "What?"

"I asked if you liked the food—you're not eating much," Jazz said.

Daniel gave her a reassuring smile. "It's good. I can cook, but..."

Danny snickered and Daniel lightly cuffed him on the back of the head. "Why the snicker?"

"Nothing, nothing!"

Daniel gave Danny a skeptical look that had Danny smile back.

"Next time, _you_ cook."

"What?! I don't know how to do that!"

"Then you'll _learn_." The banter was comforting, familiar, helped center him.

"Aw, come _on_. Don't I have enough on my plate?"

"Obviously not," Daniel said dryly, looking pointedly at the sparkling clean plate before Danny.

"That's not what I meant!"

"You really _do_ act like brothers," Jazz observed, interrupting the two.

"Oh really now?" Daniel asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. He regretted doing so almost immediately, realizing how much Vlad was in his voice and the gesture. He only hoped that the action didn't set off too many alarm bells among Danny and Jazz. It certainly was agitating the utensils and making the shadow squirm against him.

"What is it that _you_ two do? " Daniel posed to Maddie and Jack, changing the topic.

"Ghost hunting is our primary passion," Maddie said with a small smile, idly pushing aside the hood on her blue skin-tight jumpsuit, revealing her hair and face. "Although we're both freelance inventors."

"Really?" Daniel's voice and posture made it clear that he thought that only being freelance inventors couldn't realistically support a family of four.

"We generate our own electricity using the Fenton Generator ©, so we don't have to worry about the electric bills."

"Hot water? Heating and cooling? TV and internet? How—sorry," Daniel finished sheepishly, and shrunk slightly inward at the attention focused on him, and the whispers in his mind made his ears ring.

Maddie unexpectedly smiled at him. "It's alright. It's not always easy, being self-employed."

"What's it like?" he asked, wrenching his attention back to what he _suspected_ was reality.

Daniel had never expected he would end up in a halting conversation about economics with his deceased mother, but that was what had happened. Health care, insurance, credit, stability...Daniel had known that his mother was a genius, but he hadn't expected her to be so damn _practical_ as well. He supposed she made up for her husband. The familiar, comfortable topics soothed the knives into sleep and allowed him to clamp down more on the shadows.

Daniel was dragged away from his conversation by Danny, who reminded him, "You said you wanted to see the lab."

"Oh. Right."

Daniel allowed himself to be led out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.

"I can't believe you got into a conversation about that kind of stuff with my _mom_."

"What? Why?"

"You seem to bring your work with you _everywhere_ you go."

"That's unfair and untrue." Being alone with Danny, being touched by Danny helped him find his center, and he could_ almost_ focus again, was almost entirely able to discern what was, and was not, real.

Danny let go of him once they reached the stairs, falling silent.

"What did you think of them?"

"Your parents?" Daniel smiled faintly as he walked down beside Danny, keeping towards the middle and Danny so he could keep the younger half-ghost safe from the evil _(you're evil)._ He'd stick close, just in case the shadows decided to try something. "They're nice people."

"...I see."

Daniel gave his younger self a reassuring smile. "I don't think they're any crazier than you are. But, I don't know if that's saying anything..." _(oh, you're one to be talking)_ (only crazy here is _you_)

"Hey!"

Daniel allowed himself to be shoved down the last few steps into the lab he'd never thought he'd see again. He simply stood there for a moment, taking it all in with an odd sensation of detached interest. It was all so familiar...and yet so utterly foreign. He'd just have to be careful to not go near any ghost-sensing equipment, as it could possibly give him away. He _could_ blame it on Danny's presence, but he didn't want to take any unnecessary risks.

"That's it, isn't it?" Daniel murmured, his eyes finally falling on the Ghost Portal, and he walked over to the great steel contraption, sticking far, far away from any shadowed area. He wouldn't fall for their tricks again.

"Yeah, that's the Ghost Portal," Danny answered with a small sigh. "It's definitely more trouble than it's worth."

"But it _has_ made things interesting, no?"

"That's one way of putting it," Danny replied dryly, making Daniel snicker softly.

"What would your life be like if this hadn't happened?" Daniel asked, tapping against the closed door and was pleased when the sound made his ears ring less and the shadows cringe away.

"What?"

"What would your life be like without the accident?"

"I...well..I don't know. It'd be...well, normal."

"Danny, you have ghost-hunters for parents."

"Okay, more normal than it is now."

"What _is_ normal, anyway?" Daniel said with a small sigh. "Until recently "normal" was used only in physics. 'Normal' isn't all it's cracked up to be," Daniel said dryly, with a hint of bitterness.

"Normal is different for everyone, anyway. What we call normal..." Daniel struggled to remember where he was going with the thought and managed, barely, to refocus on the train of thought after a moment, "is really just another way of saying 'mode of working that is acceptable in the greater society.'"

"You've thought about that before," Danny said after a brief pause.

Daniel gave his younger self a wry smile. "Sorry."

"It's alright," Danny said and patted Daniel's arm, turning away from the Ghost Portal.

Daniel stayed looking at it and asked, "If you could get rid of your ghost powers, would you?"

Danny paused and pushed a few pieces of non-functional machinery around on a table. "I don't know. I guess...it depends on how I get rid of my powers. There _was_ one time where I split my ghostly and human halves apart with a machine of my parent's...but I still shared some of my power between the two parts, so I didn't _really_ get rid of my ghost powers. Which I think is why I didn't go evil that time."

"So your ghost half is evil?" _(YOU are evil)_ (Sick) (Wrong)

Danny blinked. "What?"

Daniel shrugged. "Just asking. I mean, there's that debate about the nature of humanity, but it seems that you're saying your ghostly half is naturally pure evil."

"I..." Danny looked perplexed. "I don't know. Maybe?"

"Something to think about," Daniel said with a small smile. "Although I wonder if you can, since you _still_ haven't told me what you want to do for your birthday."

Danny sputtered and the two heard someone behind them say, "What about Danny's birthday?"

The two looked at the entrance to the lab and beheld Jazz there.

"It's nothing," Daniel answered smoothly. He didn't want to bring Jazz into it. She'd probably do something like force them to bring her along. Also, Jazz's entrance had irritated the shadows, so if he didn't get her out of here soon, she might get hurt.

"I don't know if I believe that."

"It really isn't anything, Jazz. Seriously."

Daniel was glad his younger self agreed that Jazz shouldn't get involved, as it made his life that much easier. He didn't have to convince _two_ people.

The skeptical look didn't leave Jazz's face.

"Do you know how these things work?" Daniel asked, looking around the room. "Danny's tried to explain a few things, but..."

"Hey!"

Jazz smiled faintly. "I can use a _few_ of them. Why do you want to know?"

"So I can protect myself when a particular hero can't," Daniel said after a long moment—he was keeping a close watch on the table near Jazz. Things were getting uppity over there.

"Sensible," Jazz commented. "Although I think it hurts Danny's pride."

Daniel looked at the slightly sulking half-ghost beside him and shrugged. "I keep his ego from getting too big."

Danny grumbled what Daniel assumed were uncomplimentary things about him. He wouldn't be the first person, so Daniel ignored it.

"What should I learn how to use?" he asked, looking at Jazz again. "I'm not good with weaponry..."

"But you can fight otherwise?"

Daniel shrugged slightly.

"What can you use?"

"Self-defense stuff—I learned to protect myself...and to get my mind more focused and organized." _(not that it worked)_

"Can I see?"

Daniel sighed heavily and looked slightly annoyed. He didn't _really_ hear the question, but he figured that "No," was a safe answer.

"C'mon! _Please?_"

Daniel frowned, trying to catch Danny's words. "No."

"Why not?" Danny almost whined.

"No."

"It won't cost you anything and we won't know if you mess up," Jazz said, equally curious.

Daniel sighed, finally having processed the requests. "I'd need someone to attack me or something."

Daniel did _not_ expect someone to blind-side him and he reacted much as he was trained to—his arms came up and locked his attacker's arms against him, his far hand grabbed hold on the person's wrist and he turned, pulling his attacker's arm with him, throwing the person off-balance before following through with the motion and pinning them to the floor with his fist pulled back to deliver a strike should they try to attack him from the ground.

He blinked when he saw it was Danny's mother and quickly let go, backing off with a slight look of surprised horror on his face. "Sorry, I— "

"Reacted like you should," Danny's mother cut in. "And fairly quickly, too. I'm impressed."

Daniel was caught flat-footed, and could only blink as he looked at Maddie as his mind whirled through what had happened over and over. "You okay?" was the only thing he was allowed to say.

"Yes, I'm fine," came the reply. "I _would_ like to see what else you could do, though..."

Daniel tensed and held up his hands in an unconscious placating, and defensive, gesture. "NO! I'm not good, but I _can_ and _have_ done damage." _Well, against _human_ opponents._

"Really?" Maddie said.

"When?" Danny asked, enthusiastically interested.

Daniel wanted to teleport away, but _that_ would give away his half-ghost nature and would definitely not endear him to Danny's family. It would also probably piss off Danny, which was another thing he wished to avoid—his hands were full with the shadows and silverware that had followed Maddie down the stairs. "Let's just say that there were times when I needed to use it."

Being the son of a _very_ wealthy, powerful man would occasionally attract those interested in getting a ransom from his foster-father and, after barely escaping because of his ghost powers, Vlad had forced him into taking lessons. The classes had also helped to discipline his mind, which was a high priority during that time as well. Of course, the medicine had done far more than meditation could, although the discipline he had learned was the tape that was keeping him together at the moment.

"I...I have to go now," Daniel said, the attention on him making it harder for him to stay in touch and remind himself that shadows really didn't move independently unless it was Johnny's shadow and that was different. His thoughts began grow ever more sluggish and fall apart, and he _knew_ he had to get out_. "_I...I have...something important that I have to do." _That_, at least, was the truth. He had many things to do. If only he decipher what they were.

Daniel began to move towards the stairwell. "Remember, Danny—tell me by tomorrow or I won't be able to get stuff together in time for Tuesday."

"Tuesday is Danny's birthday," Jazz observed.

"Are you two planning something?" Maddie asked.

Daniel merely shrugged and had _almost_ reached the stairs when Danny's dad came barreling down, nearly flattening Daniel.

Daniel recovered quickly, though, and bolted up the stairs, not caring about decorum. He needed _out_.

He physically exited through the doorway, but the minute he was out he teleported away, landing safely behind the dumpster near his apartment.

He had barely made it back to his room from how badly he was shaking _(weak sick fuck)_. He had searched frantically for the phone, but it kept on running away from him, so it was only once he had caught it and suffocated it that he was able to call the therapist he had begun to see.

He had run the entire way to her office and was barely coherent when he arrived. Not that he had been very coherent beforehand.

Daniel was pulled out of his memories by his pay-cell phone vibrating on the desk, telling him that he had a message. He walked over to it, picked it up, and dialed the answering machine service, pressing the password before beginning to putter, moving around the furniture in his living room, cleaning to assert reality.

"I'm returning a call regarding an inquiry..."

Daniel stopped what he was doing and his eyes narrowed, listening carefully. Slowly, slowly, a smirk formed on his face. _Found you_, he thought, pleased. He took down all the important parts of the message before erasing it.

_Leave no trail_. Good, solid advice from Vlad regarding what he was doing. He looked at the phone in his hand and the smirk grew. This had a temporary number, and he was nearly out of minutes. Once he was...well, it was easy enough to discard. He also wasn't listed in the phone book and had arranged for _this_ phone number under a false name.

One could never be too careful. _That_ had been another thing that was _literally_ beaten into him as he was tossed about like a rag-doll on a number of occasions when he went up against ghosts that were far too strong for him.

He chuckled softly, and had any of the ghosts of _his_ time been around, they would have beaten a quick retreat. He was _feared_ in his time's Ghost Zone, almost as much as his father. Although he might say that the fear of him was more passive, as he was young. Ghosts still tended to underestimate him, and as he _was_ capable of being beaten...

But that wasn't a concern of his at the moment. Right now...

He had a little more digging he needed to do to have the leverage he needed to get the person that he had discovered was siphoning their funds to stop being an ass.


	10. A Fight and a Celebration

**Author:** Again, i want to thank everyone who reads, responds, favorites, alerts, etc. You guys help keep my motivation going.

**Disclaimer:** Danny Phantom does not belong to me, but I _finally_ got that Clockwork shirt!

**Chapter 10**

Daniel recognized the stubborn look on Danny's face and sighed, closing his laptop.

_This is going to be a _very_ interesting conversation._

"Daniel," Danny said, quite serious, almost _formal_, as he stood before him.

"Yeah?" Daniel replied, looking quite the opposite, lounging in his chair, voice casual.

"What happened?"

"Beg pardon?"

Danny scowled at Daniel. "When you came over my home. Something was _wrong_. **I** know that for a fact, and Jazz suspects that something was up. Mom and Dad are sure it was just a case of nerves, but you're _never_ that withdrawn, _never_ that distracted or jumpy."

Daniel sighed. He wasn't going to get out of this one. "Look. Here isn't the best place to talk about it. It's a _very_ private matter and no-one needs to hear it but you." Daniel straightened his shirt, an unconscious nervous gesture. "I'll meet you after school tomorrow. We'll talk about it once we get back to my place."

"No, we're talking about it now."

"Danny," Daniel sighed wearily. "Seriously. This isn't something I can talk about easily. I'm also exhausted—I had to increase my dose and my body chemistry is adapting right now. I _promise_ you that I'll explain what happened. Just not now. Not while I'm at work." Daniel looked briefly at his watch. "And you, sir, have a curfew to keep."

Danny was about to insist, but Daniel sharply shook his head. " The sickness I have...there's a stigma attached to it. I'm _not_ going to talk about it where just anyone can overhear. We are going to do so on _my_ grounds at a time _I_ decide." Daniel sighed, a hand lightly massaging a temple. "I need _control_, Danny. Respect this request of mine."

Danny looked at him, and Daniel held his gaze.

Danny looked away first. "Fine. But you're going to explain _everything._ No glossing over an answer or avoiding a question."

"Fine."

Danny actually looked slightly surprised that Daniel would agree.

"I don't lie to _you_, Danny. Everyone else may get half-truths and lies from me, but you...I never lie to you."

"I don't know if I should be flattered or not."

"You should be," Daniel told him with a wry smile. "Now, tell me what we're doing for your birthday."

Danny abruptly looked both embarrassed and flustered, making Daniel sigh.

"They found out, didn't they?"

"Yeah," Danny drew out, flushing slightly at the awkwardness of the situation.

"So, what's going to happen?"

"Well, I managed to talk them out of having a family party for us, because I get the feeling you wouldn't be able to survive prolonged periods of time in contact with them and they'd want to invite your own family."

Daniel snorted. "My father wouldn't have come no matter what you offered." _Well, not anymore. He's given up on Maddie. If you asked him _prior_ to my introduction into his life...well, the answer would be different._

Danny frowned. "Why?"

Daniel shrugged. "We've never celebrated my birthday since I moved in with him. My 15th I was too depressed to care, my 16th was spent under...interesting...conditions, my 17th I was in a plane over the Pacific, and my 18th passed without either of us noticing, as we were both too busy to care or note the passing of another year of my life. This is the first time since my family died that it's been quiet enough for me to even consider celebrating. I really don't care about another year passing for _me—_this is meant to be about _you_."

Danny looked concerned. "But—"

Daniel shook his head slightly. "No. So, what was eventually decided upon?"

Danny sighed. "They said they're going to take us on a tour of the most haunted spots in the country. After finals, of course."

"Of course," Daniel concurred, obviously amused. "You and I are going to do something little together _on_ your birthday, though. How about a birthday dinner? I can afford to spend a little extra on you. Afterall, surviving another year with _your_ life is an accomplishment indeed."

Danny snorted. "When and where?"

"I'll meet you after school is over that day. After that, you can decide if and where you want to eat out or if you want me to attempt to make something slightly more complicated than normal."

Danny smiled warmly. "Sounds good to me."

"Now, shoo. Your curfew is fast approaching."

Danny became serious again. "You won't forget about how you said you'd explain yesterday to me?"

"I'll meet you in front of your school tomorrow."

"Promise?"

"Promise," Daniel affirmed. He didn't have problems breaking promises, but this was one he would keep, come hell or ghost attack.

Danny seemed to relax slightly and sigh. "Fine. See you tomorrow," he said and turned, leaving the arcade.

Daniel's fingers spread out on the laptop cover and he sighed softly. He wasn't looking forward to the conversation at all. How Danny reacted would ultimately decide whether or not he could continue to survive in this reality. He hated the dependence on others, but knew that without the connections he created, albeit with great difficulty, he would crumble. He still had nightmares about the three months he had spent in the hospital, and had vowed to never descend to that low ever again. To accomplish that, he needed people.

In his home time, Vlad was the person he could cling to, count on to weather when he had a breakthrough. If he didn't find one here...he didn't want to think about what could result. Oh, he could control himself enough so that he could get somewhere safe before shattering, but he needed a focus, a center to survive, as he didn't have one himself.

Danny had been acting as it, albeit without his knowledge.

Daniel only hoped the younger teen would consent to continue to be it.

--

As promised, Daniel was standing at the end of the sidewalk, waiting for Danny when the school-day ended. He looked up at the school and sighed softly. _The last time I was here I was taking the CAT...dude, this is _so _weird, even for _my _life,_ he thought, a small, wry smile finding its way to his face. Distantly, he heard the bell ring and after only a few minutes, the floodgates opened and a steady stream of teens exited to head to their homes by any means of transportation necessary as Daniel waited to the side. He frowned when he saw Sam and Tucker exit sans Danny, and when Danny did not appear subsequently he walked up to Danny's friends.

"Hey."

The two jumped slightly and blinked at Daniel's presence.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"I promised I'd meet Danny once the school-day was over," he replied. "Where is he?"

"Detention."  
"Ah. I see. Well, then. Looks like I'll have to spring him, doesn't it?"

"You'd do that?"

"I remember quite clearly how much fun time spent in detention was," Daniel told the two younger teens dryly, "and that more work gets done outside of it than in it. Therefore, for the sake of Danny's grades, he is going to get out of detention."

"How?"

"I have my ways," Daniel answered with a smirk.

He entered the halls of the high school and looked around, amused. _Nothing much has changed here. It's odd being in a _public_ school, though, having been in the private school system for the past few years._

Daniel found the classroom where Danny was sitting detention, and politely knocked on the door before entering, making Danny and Dash look up.

_Oh, great. And here I was hoping I would be lucky and things would be _easy_ for once. Silly me._

"There you are, Danny," Daniel said and walked over to the younger teen. "I was getting worried when you didn't come out with everyone else."

"Daniel! What are you doing here?" Danny half-exclaimed, obviously surprised.

"Yeah, what are you doing here?" Dash mimicked, and Daniel gave him a quick, dismissive glance before returning his attention to his younger, alternate self.

"Picking you up, of course," Daniel answered, ignoring the jock as he literally picked Danny up out of his chair while saying so.

"He can't leave!"

"Who are you to say so?" Daniel asked slightly coldly. "_You're_ not a teacher, so I don't have to listen to you."

"Mr. Lancer told me to make certain that Danny doesn't leave!"

"I don't care what Mr. Lancer said," Daniel told the jock with a shrug. "Danny has better places to be than here."

Dash put himself between the two Dannys and the door and Daniel merely gave him a small, slightly arrogant smirk. "You think you can keep me here?" Daniel murmured softly, but his voice carried anyway.

"The young Mr. Fenton is currently serving time in detention," Mr. Lancer stated, coming into the classroom, "and so is unable to relocate."

Daniel sighed inwardly. The jock he could have bullied his way around. The teacher would take more delicate handling. "For what is he serving time?" Daniel asked, voice mildly curious, focusing on his former teacher.

"Chronic lateness."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "What is sitting in a hot, stuffy classroom going to teach him about punctuality?"

"That all actions have consequences."

"Oh, Danny is already quite conscious of that." Daniel said, looking pointedly at the younger half-ghost. "I don't think he'd ever be able to forget."

Danny winced, knowing _exactly_ what experience Daniel was talking about.

"So I doubt this serves as a good refresher course. One doesn't get much homework done in detention anyway. There's more staring at the wall than focusing on math problems. It's the physical discomfort." Daniel began to guide Danny towards the door.

Dash stood his ground between them and Daniel raised a skeptical eyebrow. _He doesn't _honestly_ think he could stop me if I really wanted to get out, does he?_

"The young Mr. Fenton must serve his punishment nonetheless. Only a parent or a responsible older sibling would be able to release him."

"Well isn't it good I'm his older brother?" Daniel replied and he felt Danny jump slightly in surprise beneath his hand and merely smirked at the confusion radiating off of the other two in the room.

"Daniel doesn't _have_ an older brother," Mr. Lancer stated, recovering his composure. "He would have gone through this school system if he had."

"Does one need to be related by blood to be an older brother? A great many novels and real-life accounts serve to prove that need not necessarily be so," Daniel stated calmly, even though the itch of a ghostly presence at the edge of his detection range was _annoying_.

"He is still bound to his punishment," Mr. Lancer countered, "as you are not a _blood_ relative."

"Is that so?" Daniel murmured coldly. "Then you are saying that half-siblings aren't _real_ siblings, no matter if they've lived almost their entire lives together." Daniel walked around Danny and moved Dash out of their way effortlessly, surprising all present. Danny in that he hadn't known Daniel was that strong, Dash that someone would so carelessly manhandle him, and Mr. Lancer in that Daniel was clearly and casually ignoring the rules.

Daniel coughed into his hand, both to hide the small smirk and the wisp of icy air signifying that the ghost had come close enough to set his ghost-sense off, before looking at Danny. "Shall we?"

"You can't do this!" Dash protested.

Daniel looked at the jock, eyes faintly cold and entirely too amused. "Try to stop me," he said quite calmly, although there was an underlying sneer to the sound.

"If you take him without the necessary paperwork, he will get in more trouble," Mr. Lancer said, annoyed.

"I see," Daniel said slowly, his humor not faltering. Daniel walked over to Mr. Lancer, and leaned in, stepping well into the teacher's personal space, his voice dropping so only the man could hear. "You don't _honestly_ want people to know how you nearly failed out of college, do you? You had quite the rebellious youth," Daniel purred, and the teacher's eyes widened.

"How did you...?"

"Hm...how indeed? Now, if you don't want that and the fact that you went through the remedial English track to come out into the open, you'll let Danny walk."

"Are you threatening me?"

Daniel gave the teacher a smile that would have made the Cheshire cat envious. "Am I?"

In accessing Danny's records, Daniel had stumbled across a number of interesting pieces of information...one of them being a copy of Mr. Lancer's educational records. That he also had found all the_ other_ teachers' information as well was a nice bonus_. _He hadn't thought such would come in handy, but he was glad he remembered it now.

"What are you talking about?" Dash asked, suspicious.

Daniel pulled back and gave the jock another dismissive look. "It doesn't concern you," he said and walked back to Danny, pushing him lightly towards the door.

He felt more than saw the cold air that was Danny's ghost sense going off, and was glad that his body was blocking Dash and/or Mr. Lancer from seeing it.

"I never said he could go."

Daniel gave the frazzled teacher a smirk over his shoulder. "Then consider—who will be hurt more: Danny...or you?"

The teacher was unable to answer as the ghost both half-ghosts had sensed came crashing through the window, scaring the football player and the English teacher into bolting while Daniel calmly stood his ground and Danny tensed.

"I'll get everyone to safety," Daniel murmured and stood as cover for Danny as he transformed. "You worry about fighting this." He turned to leave and was surprised when he saw a female struggling beneath the ghost. He would have risked letting the secret of his ghost powers be known to Danny if the younger half-ghost hadn't stepped in before him.

"Go!" Danny turned and yelled at Daniel, who merely nodded and left the classroom at a run.

_Looks like we both have something to explain to the other,_ he thought and turned a corner, pulling a student out of the way as a beam of energy from an auxiliary ghost came flying at them.

He pushed her(?) towards the exit and said, "Go!" his voice leaving no room for argument. He looked around the corner once he heard the clack of her shoes fade down the hallway. He scowled and transformed into his ghost form, glad—not for the first time—that he no longer had the glowing rings that slowed and signified the transformation. He faded into invisibility and split into a number of copies, sending them to possess teachers and other authority figures so that the high school could be cleared of any potential victims.

Daniel's ethics were skewed and convoluted, but he would _never_ let any human get hurt in his fights. He valued other people's existences far more than his own. Afterall, _they_ weren't broken. _They_ could lead lives that weren't dependent on medication to keep them afloat. _They_ could raise a family, get a steady job, live quiet, boring lives. He, however, didn't have such a luxury; therefore, he would preserve theirs.

The deaths and injuries he had failed to prevent were fodder for some of his more interesting nightmares.

He flew over to the ghost and decided that, with how quickly his energy was waning from supporting so many clones, he wouldn't bother to pull punches or be stealthy about his bouts.

Once in position he dropped his invisibility and quickly found the ghost's core. He forcefully, brutally drained it, using its energy to keep him running and able to fight. He located the next ghost and teleported to it, using the same tactic as he had before.

_There's so _many_ of them_, he groused inwardly. _They're not terribly strong—the numbers are just overwhelming. Quite possibly the worst kind of enemy for me to fight._ _But I can't move out into the open. Not yet_.

The ghosts filled the hallways and it was after Daniel's sixth victory that a realization dawned upon him.

_These are all mirrors of the main ghost. If the main ghost is defeated, then these go with it and I'll stop fighting a tide I can't defeat. Very well,_ his eyes hardened and he pulled in all his energy before flinging it outwards, pushing all the ghosts out of the building and setting up a shield around the school and the students and faculty of said school.

He immediately transformed back into his human form and swore softly, cursing, not for the first time, how low his stamina was. He'd be able to support the shield in human form, though. It'd just take time for his energy to recover. He shook himself and sighed, walking out of the building to where the others were congregated. He stood in their midst, blending in seamlessly, watching the battle taking place overhead, ignoring the steady pressure of lesser ghosts against his shield.

He frowned as he watched. There was something familiar about the ghost. He knew he hadn't fought it, but he felt he had heard of it. He paused for a long moment, watching intently before another conclusion slowly unfurled in his mind.

_Mindless energy. That's all that the copies are. So...if I can absorb all that energy...it will severely weaken the ghost itself, perhaps even incapacitate it. I won't be able to do so in human form, though. Do _I_ have enough energy to pull this off...?_ Daniel paused, thought, then shrugged. _Let's find out._

Daniel slipped away, and transformed once he was safe from prying eyes. He wouldn't be able to work invisible and he'd need direct contact with his shield. He teleported to the edge of the shield opposite where most people were, placed his hands against the physical manifestation of his energy and closed his eyes.

_There. I can feel them._

A small smirk formed on his face and he dispelled the shield briefly, letting the ghosts advance slightly. He then caught them in the shield and drew all the energy of the ghosts into himself. He had never worked on such a large scale, but the sheer _rush_ was worth the searing ache, almost overloading his reserves. When all the ghosts' energy was in him, he lowered his hands and opened his eyes. He raised the shield again after he stepped outside it, teleporting to where he could observe the battle and see if his actions had any effect on the altercation.

It had.

Daniel smirked and floated behind the battle, observing everything while invisible. Danny and the female had seized upon the opportunity Daniel had presented them with, working in tandem quite well. Daniel could see a few shades of Vlad in the moves that the female was using, which made him curious. How could she know Vlad? He hadn't seen her around, and he would have found out by now if there was another half-ghost living in Amity Park. He couldn't _sense_ half-ghosts, but that didn't mean that they weren't remarkable—gossip travels, both among ghost and human circles. Perhaps this half-ghost and Vlad had met prior to Vlad relocating?

Unfortunately, desperation is better said to be the mother of invention, and the ghost got in a number of solid hits that left Danny and the female half-ghost reeling.

Daniel sighed. Must he?

Daniel became visible, unable to hold the sight-shield because of all the energy pumping through him, and stepped in between what would have been a finishing ectoplasmic blow to Danny, catching it in his palm. Right before it connected, he penetrated it with a spear of his own energy and bent the energy to his own signature, placing it under his control. He balled it in his hand and threw it back at the ghost, dazing it.

He proceeded to teleport over to it and delivered a punishing hit to its temple that left it disoriented and wavering. One of Daniel's hands hovered over its face as the other plunged into its throat, where he felt the energy core.

_I'll have to break its will before I'll be able to extract its energy_ he thought, mildly annoyed as his fingers hovered just out of reach of the energy, unable to penetrate further.

Daniel's slipped his energy violently into the ghost and it screamed—a feral, _terrified_ thing that quickly descended into sobs of despair.

Daniel merely waited, face impassive, until his hand could close around the energy core. Once the ghost was reduced to a trembling mess, Daniel was able to get a hold on the core and yanked it out, watching as the ghost's 'body' faded into nothingness, the only remnant of it being the steadily glowing core resting in Daniel's palm.

His eyes closed slightly and he absorbed the energy into himself, replacing the energy he had lost in the brief fight. He sighed when he heard movement behind him.

Well.

He hadn't _meant_ to reveal himself, but his hand had been forced in that respect. He supposed the moment was as good a time as any to present the idea of he training Danny to the half-ghost. At least the battle had proved that Daniel was strong and willing to fight alongside Danny. Now it was just a matter of whether or not the younger half-ghost was willing to put some tentative trust in his motives.

Daniel neatly sidestepped Danny's punch, and instead of following through on the almost instinctive need for a retaliation, he simply floated there, looking at the gasping, tired and frustrated younger half-ghost before him. Just as easily he evaded the punch of the female half-ghost, catching her wrist and sending a brief bolt of energy through her, shorting out her powers and sending her into unconsciousness. A duplicate of him split off and turned invisible, taking her someplace safe, leaving him alone with Danny, who was regarding him with wary distrust.

"Who _are_ you?" Danny demanded.

Daniel shook his head slowly. "Not an enemy."

"Why do I have a hard time believing that?"

"I'm glad to hear you say that, actually," Daniel said, crossing his arms. "That kind of wariness, that kind of mistrust, is what will keep you alive. The world is full of many more enemies than friends."

Danny frowned, not relaxing, although Daniel could tell he threw the younger half-ghost for a loop.

"With that being said, I'd like to present you with an offer."

"What?"

"Let me teach you."

"What?" Danny looked confused. "Why would you want to teach me? Who _are_ you, anyway?"

"I've told you before—I'm not an enemy, so my identity doesn't really matter. As to why I want to teach you...I want to help you because I care about your welfare."

"Why?"

"Because I have a feeling that if I don't a great deal of harm will befall you and those you care about."

He had picked the right words to use—throw the people Danny cared about into the mix and you could usually count on getting a reaction in favor of your request.

"Do you know something's going to happen?" Danny asked, wary but wavering.

"No, I don't have precognition. But I can read the signs around me easily enough. All the conflicts lately, all the strange and 'new' ghosts...all of it revolves around you."

"What does that _mean_ though?"

Daniel shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is that you _must_ get stronger, and in order to do that you need someone to train you."

"I've done fine on my own," Danny said with a small frown. "Anyway, say I _do_ agree to you teaching me—how do I know you won't turn on me?"

Daniel shrugged. "You'll just have to trust me when I say I won't. I really _am_ here to help you. You have what it takes to be great—you just need the polish and the guidance to reach your potential."

"How do I know you won't try to turn me evil or something?"

"Again—you don't. It all comes down to whether or not you want to trust me. I _did_ help you. In fact, I've _been_ helping you."

"What?"

"If I hadn't stepped in with the spider-ghost, everyone in the town would have died from the sleep-agent in the web," Daniel said calmly. "There was also the time with the vastly upgraded Skulker, your battle with the Ghost of Illusions, and with the energy-sucking ghost, as well as any thousand other little things I did to make your battles at your level. I guided your friends to you when you were trapped and you to your friends when _they_ were prisoners."

Danny stared at him. "How long have you been around?"

"Since the line between the past, present, and future blurred."

"What?"

"Danny Phantom, I'm from an alternate future, sent here to help you survive. I _have_ been helping you—but now you must learn to help yourself, for, in all likelihood, I will not be here forever."

"What you're saying sounds crazy."

"Trust me, that's not the first time I've heard that," Daniel said dryly. "I'm serious, though. I _want_ to train you. I want to make you better able to protect yourself—not to mention others."

"What kind of stuff would you teach me?"

"The first thing I intend on teaching you, should you accept my offer, is how to duplicate yourself. From there..." Daniel shrugged slightly, "We'll explore your strengths."

Danny was about to say something, but a purple blast of ecto-energy came their way, and both of them flew apart, looking at the angry girl in a red suit who came rocketing towards them.

Daniel looked at Valerie impassively and then, with one highly precise, thin beam of energy, shorted out her suit, sending her spiraling back to the ground.

Danny stared. "How'd you do that so easily?"

"Accept my offer and I'll teach you how," Daniel said with a small smirk. "Among other things."

Danny looked pensive for a moment and Daniel snickered inwardly at the unhappy curses coming from a recovering Valerie as she tinkered with a suit that was unresponsive.

"And you won't turn me evil?"

"I'll follow _your_ strengths and temperament while teaching you. I won't force any of my ideas or powers on you if they don't fit you. I'm here to teach you skills—not world-views."

After a long moment, Danny extended his hand and Daniel took it, grasping firmly for a second before they let go.

"How and when will you teach me?"

"Don't worry about those things," Daniel said with a small, reassuring smile. "Everything will be taken care of. Also, don't expect me to go easy on you—I'm going to make sure that what you learn, you learn _well_."

Danny smiled slightly nervously, and Daniel laughed warmly. "Don't be afraid, young half-ghost. I truly mean you no harm. Until later," he said with a nod before vanishing.

Daniel landed and returned to his human form, blending into the crowd again, staying still as it slowly dispersed, his shield falling and vanishing with the removal of the threat.

He leaned casually against a lightpost and, after a few minutes, Danny, along with the female half-ghost, came out to meet him.

Daniel looked at the girl, then at Danny, an eyebrow raising slightly. "Who's she?"

"Daniel, this is Dani," Danny said, gesturing to the female half-ghost. "She's...well, it's complicated."

"Wouldn't be the first thing in your life to be that way," Daniel told his younger self dryly before turning his attention to Dani. "I'm assuming 'Dani' isn't your full name?"

"No. It's Danielle."

"With such a beautiful name, why shorten it?" he asked with a small smile and extended his hand.

Danny snorted and received a slight glare from the female half-ghost for doing so before she took Daniel's hand in her own.

Daniel bent down as he gently raised Danielle's hand, lightly brushing his lips against the back of her hand. It startled Danielle enough that her hand phased intangible and Daniel smiled slightly, straightening. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he purred before turning back to Danny. "You still want that talk?"

"Yeah. Um...can Dani come, too?"

Daniel shook his head sharply. "She can walk with us, should she want to, but she's not getting in on our conversation. _That_ is between you and I **only**."

The younger half-ghost balked slightly, but sighed. "Fine. Can she stay with you, though? Afterwards?"

Daniel sighed. "I'd like to say 'no', but you're probably going to pester me until I cave, aren't you?"

Danny gave him a slightly lop-sided smile.

"Two night maximum, though."

"What?"

"Why?"

"I don't eat much so there isn't enough food around for two people and I'm living on a budget. I don't need my electricity bills skyrocketing, the couch gets uncomfortable very quickly...need I continue to enumerate why staying more than two nights would be a pain in the ass?"

"No," came the sullen answer.

"Well, then. As an apology to the young lady for my lack of ability to be hospitable, I'll order take-out chinese for everyone. Is that at least mildly acceptable?"

"I _might_ just get the most expensive item on the menu," Danielle said and Daniel merely smirked.

"But you won't." It was a simple statement of fact, no underlying tones to it, although it inexplicably made both younger half-ghosts nervous.

"Do you mind me asking vaguely non-invasive faintly personal questions?" Daniel asked Dani as the three began to leisurely walk to his apartment.

"Depends."

Daniel smiled faintly. "I promise I won't pry too much, and you don't have to answer anything you don't want to answer."

Dani paused then nodded slightly. "Fine. If I get to ask _you_ questions."

Daniel chuckled softly. "Fair enough."

"So, your name is Daniel?"

Daniel nodded. "I prefer being called by my full name. Being called Danny...well, it brings up bad memories. It also lets people distinguish who they're talking to if Danny and I both are in the conversation."

"Makes sense."

"My turn: what brought you here?"

Dani looked briefly at Danny, who shrugged. "He knows about me."

"Really?" Dani asked and Daniel smiled faintly.

"What, do I really look _that_ untrustworthy? I'm wounded."

"Okay...well, I came here to warn Danny."

"About what?" Danny asked before Daniel could.

"...things in the Ghost Zone are getting _really_ weird."

"Weird how?" Another question Daniel would have asked, but as he didn't know whether or not if he asked a question would result in her asking one of him, he kept quiet.

"Um...every now and then the Ghost Zone will almost seem to...I dunno, _twist_ is the best way I can put it. Then it snaps and there's this big outflow of energy and ghosts before it simply _vanishes._ The ghosts, instead of staying, seem to melt into the Ghost Zone. Like, fade entirely. Very few of the ghosts that come from these ectoplasmic pimples survive more than a few minutes."

Daniel frowned, concerned. Where were the ghosts going? Better question, where were they coming from? His time? Somewhere else?

Was Vlad okay?

_Why'd I think of _that_ ass?_ He wondered before returning his attention to the conversation between the two younger half-ghosts. He allowed himself to quietly fade into the background, merely listening, and gathering information about more than just the Ghost Zone from their conversation.

Danielle was, apparently, a gender-switched clone of Danny that this world's Vlad had created to cure his loneliness. Unfortunately, as this Danny existed to be evidence of a better lifestyle and how twisted Vlad's form of dependency was, Danielle rebelled against him, and with the help of Danny, had defeated the man once more. Danielle spent most of her time traveling, as she had no home base since she had revolted against the man who had styled himself as her father. She was quite attached to Danny, and helped him when she could, primarily as intel as far as he could tell. She _appeared_ younger than Danny, although it made him wonder if she would age more quickly than either of them, being as she _was_ a clone and had to have developed at an accelerated rate. That it didn't appear to be so was a testament to how ingenious his foster father could be when he put his mind to something. Then again, the girl-clone might not age at all...that _was_ another possibility. She was a fascinating piece of work, and Daniel would like to examine her at his leisure—preferably with her consent, but he had ways of working around it if she chose to decline.

They reached his apartment and Daniel sighed. _And I walked more slowly than usual. I suppose I can't delay this conversation any longer. _"I'm sorry, but Danielle will either have to wait out here or go somewhere a little more comfortable."

The two younger half-ghosts jumped at Daniel's voice, and Daniel snickered softly. "Just me. Anyway. Danny and I have a highly private issue to discuss, so you'll have to excuse me in making you wait. You _could_ stay outside my door or in the apartment complex, but that'll more than likely be uncomfortable and awkward. There's a nice, small used/rare bookstore down the street as well as a coffee shop back the way we came. I'm apartment 313," he said, looking at Dani. "Is that okay?"

Dani shrugged. "I guess. Don't take too long though!"

"Under normal circumstances, I would never think to keep a lady waiting."

Dani walked off and Danny gave his older self a skeptical look.

"Perhaps you should learn to be more gentlemanly. Apparently it's a hit with the girls," Daniel teased as they made their way to his room.

"Danny? Is that you?"

Daniel hid his sigh better than Danny hid his wince.

"Hi, Valerie," Daniel said, giving the girl a wave hello.

"You know each other?" the girl asked, obviously dressed for and headed to work.

Daniel nodded with a small smile. "I'm his tutor."

Valerie looked faintly amused. "Tutor, huh?"

"I'm smarter than I look," Daniel said dryly, making Valerie smile slightly. "Have a good day at work."

With those words, Daniel lightly ushered Danny to his room, unlocking and locking it almost unconsciously. He sighed and shook his head before looking at Danny, who had become quite solemn.

"Where do you want me to start?"

--

Daniel found himself, once again, standing outside the haunted halls of Casper High, waiting for his alternate younger self. At least _this_ time it wasn't to have an awkward, halting conversation about a part of his life that he liked better left unexamined.

It had gone surprisingly well, all things considered. Danny hadn't rejected him—in fact, the teen had been quite concerned.

"Are you okay now?"

Daniel had smiled softly, sadly. "It's under control now." He had hesitated for a moment before catching and holding Danny's eyes. "I have a...favor...to ask of you. You can so 'no'--I won't feel hurt if you do."

"What is it?" Danny asked, torn between curious and cautious.

"Be my center."

"What?"

"I...sometimes my sense of my own center, my sense of self and reality collapses and I shatter. Can I run to you? You don't have to worry about me becoming violent—that's not how my brand of sickness works. But...I need _someone_. At home, that person is my father. Will _you_ help center me _here_?"

Danny had looked away and was silent for a long time, which was absolute torture for Daniel, but he wasn't going to force the issue.

"Are there other things you aren't telling me?" Danny asked softly.

Daniel nodded. "Yes."

"What?"

"I'm not ready to tell you."

Danny had blinked. Daniel _hadn't_ said 'you're not ready'. He had said '_I'm_ not ready', which was an interesting and rare twist. "But you _will_ tell me."

"Eventually," Daniel had replied with a sad, self-deprecating smile. "I think you could handle most of the news, but _I'm_ not ready to tell you. You already know more about me than anyone but myself or my father. So...will you help center me?"

Danny had nodded after a moment's pause. "Alright."

Daniel hadn't bothered to disguise his relief. "Thank you."

Danny seemed almost embarrassed by the naked emotions Daniel had allowed him to see.

The solemnity had lasted for only a moment longer before Daniel had dragged his younger self over to him for a noogie. "Just because I'm trusting you with me doesn't mean you get any special privileges. I can _still_ kick your ass and you know it."

Danny had laughed and shoved him off, relaxing. Daniel was still Daniel, apparently.

It was an immense relief to the older teen. Today would not only be a birthday celebration, but a thank-you as well. Aside from treating the younger teen to a dinner of some sort, he had a particular birthday gift in mind that he was sure would surprise Danny. He supposed the younger half-ghost almost _deserved_ it, with what he was doing for him.

That would come last, though.

This time, Danny was one of the first students out. Daniel waved him over and gave him a smile. "Managed to escape detention today, huh?" Daniel teased, earning a light punch on the arm from Danny.

"Duh. I'd never sit detention on my _birthday_."

"Good. Now--"

"Danny, you know him?"

Both Dannys turned to look at the speaker.

_Paulina,_ Daniel recalled.

"Uh, yeah," Danny replied uncertainly, unable to read the expression on Daniel's face. "Daniel, this is Pauline."

"A pleasure," Daniel murmured, giving the slightest of bows, flawlessly polite. He was able to read the girl quite easily and was ambivalent about what he saw. _She's very shallow, and pretty in that 'I-wake-up-at-4AM-for-a-7.30AM-start'_ _ way. Mildly intelligent—she _has_ to be in order to control the Popular Girls Hierarchy. But why is she interested in _me?

"I wanted to thank you for yesterday," the girl said, batting her lashes.

_Yesterday?_ "I'm sorry, but I am unable to recall when I was of service to a lady such as you."

"You saved me from a ghost!"

_I did?_ "Think nothing of it," he said instead, ignoring the puzzled look he was getting from Danny.

"How can I _ever_ thank you?"

Daniel gave her a charming smile. "I need no thanks, fair lady. Knowing that I kept you from being injured is thanks enough. Now, you must excuse me, as I have other matters I need to attend to."

He turned away from her and gestured to Danny that they ought to leave. Danny fell into step next to him as they walked away from the school.

"What was _that_ about?" Danny asked once far enough away from the school.

"What was what about?"

"You were flirting with her!"

"Was not! I'm not interested in girls like _her_ at all."

"Then why all the fancy language and stuff?"

"It's reflex now. It's become habit to charm people into liking and trusting me."

"Why?"  
"Necessity," was Daniel's only answer. "That's not important, though. What do you want to do for dinner?"

"I think we should eat at your place. If we went out together it'd look gay or something."

"Danny, I sincerely doubt that. Look." Daniel stopped them in front of a highly reflective store window. "What do you see?"

"We...kinda look alike."

"Like cousins? Maybe brothers?"

"Yeah...almost."

"With that being said, do you think people would think we were boyfriends?"

Danny paused, then slowly shook his head. "Probably not."

"Well, then. I won't force you, though. I have a few recipes I've been wanting to try out anyway," Daniel said as they began to walk again.

"Like what?" Danny asked, curious.

"A few Japanese dishes, a Greek one, and a couple Italian."

"You _always_ make Italian," Danny half-whined.

"Then you want to try my attempt at Japanese?"

"What would you make?"

"Miso soup, white rice, and _tonkatsu_."

"What?"  
"Fried pork cutlet. It's actually quite good...I can try out my new deep-fryer."

"Sounds..."

"Try it. I'll do my best to insure you won't regret it."

"Are you going to make sushi too?"

"Hell no. I can't find any grocer who sells fish that I would consider worthy--I've become picky since eating the food in Japan."

Danny gave him a small smile. "Fine. Still...could you make something more...normal?"

"Steak and some form of potato good for you?" Daniel asked and nearly laughed at the relief on Danny's face. "Well, then. We'll go to Whole Paycheck—"

"Where?"  
"Whole Foods. I _did_ tell you that I'd spend a little more for you today and that's the best place for a number of food products."

"Yeah, but—"

"Humor me. As I was saying, we'll go there and you can pick out what you want. Then we'll go back to my place and I'll make it. That'll be my gift to you."

"Daniel—"

"_Don't_ thank me. You'll make me feel like I'm a good person. Come."

The two walked leisurely together, talking abut Danny's day, Daniel's work and experience with Danielle ("She's an interesting girl," Daniel said dryly), and swapped stories of previous birthdays.

"You said you were over the Pacific for your 17th. Why?"

"My father had a business deal he had to seal in Tokyo. He brought me along because he didn't want anything to happen to me or the house."

"Ah. .I see. And you didn't celebrate once you arrived?"

"I had schoolwork and no close friends near—although I have them now, after that extended trip—and my father was constantly in meetings. Therefore, my birthday passed without notice."

"That sucks."

Daniel shrugged. "Not really. Who would want to celebrate _my_ birth? I've been nothing but one trial after another, often hurting more than I help. You, though..." Daniel held the door to the grocery store open for Danny, "...are someone special."

"That's not—!"

Daniel shook his head and directed Danny into the produce section after grabbing a cart. "It _is_ true. What vegetable will you eat?"

"Um..."

They walked out a little later, Danny protesting the amount Daniel had spent.

Daniel ignored him.

"How are things with you and Sam?" he asked, stuffing the receipt into his pocket, directing the conversation down a different path.

Danny paused and eventually sighed. "Confusing."

"In saying that, I'm guessing that you _still_ haven't responded to her confession of attraction."

"Well, no."

"I see. That's unimportant now, though. Danielle left this morning on her own volition, saying that there were things she had to do. She told me to wish you a Happy Birthday and apologize that she didn't have anything for you. Said she'd make it up to you later, somehow."

Daniel opened the door to his apartment and let them both in.

"Before you offer, _no,_ you're _not_ helping me make dinner. Park yourself on the couch and do your English readings that are due tomorrow. I _know_ you haven't done them yet."

"Homework on my _birthday_?"

"Alas, the world does not revolve around you," Daniel drawled as he unpacked. "Now get on it."

Danny groused, but after Daniel's continuous pestering as he put stuff away and began to get together what he would need, Danny caved and settled on the couch, opening the book.

Daniel smiled faintly and began to hum softly as he cooked, feeling better than he had in a _long_ time—things were quiet upstairs, his contributions were appreciated, and he was making friends, all while keeping the realities of his life under wraps. Things were, for the first time in what felt like forever, looking up.

The meal Daniel created was simple, but he took great care in the preparation. Once everything was ready, he walked over to the obviously dozing teen and flicked his forehead, waking him up with a startled yelp followed by a scowl.

"Dinner's ready," Daniel told him with a small, affectionate smile.

Danny grumbled softly and stood with a sigh, walking over to where Daniel had set the table.

"This looks surprisingly good."

"Ha ha very funny, Danny," Daniel drawled as he sat. "I really _should_ make you cook next time you're over."

Danny winced theatrically. "You sure you want to risk it?"

"You can't be any worse than my father. The man can bake but god forbid if you ask him to make anything as simple as pasta. It's why we have a cook."

"You really _haven't_ told me much about your own life at your home. What's it like, being filthy rich?"

Daniel laughed softly. "Not everything you'd think. That house can feel _empty_. The only reason it usually doesn't is because there's always one thing or another passing through."

"Like what?"

"People, sometimes. Ghosts, mostly."

"Really?!"

Daniel nodded. "It's where I picked up my knowledge of ghosts and why I use a ghost shield around my apartment. After having a few ghosts try to float off with my belongings, I took precautions," Daniel finished dryly, idly cutting the steak on his plate.

"How much do you know about ghosts?"

"More than you'd think," Daniel answered with a slightly sly smirk.

"Like what?" Danny asked, irritation coloring his voice partly.

"I know what ghosts are made of."

Danny frowned. "What?"

"So, humans are made of things like water, carbon, etc. right?"

Danny gave him a hesitant nod that meant 'no, I really don't know but I'll agree with you to see where you're going with this'.

"Well, ghosts are _much_ simpler creatures. All that they are," Daniel paused to chew and swallow, "are energy and will."

Danny frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Have you ever heard of a ghost having a broken bone?"

Danny shook his head.

"Or having a stomachache? Or a heart failure? Or _anything_ to do with internal organs?"

Danny shook his head.

"Ghosts have _no internal structure._ When _you_ go ghost, the only thing you have keeping you together is your will and energy. Ectoplasm is a matter manifestation of energy. You _do_ know the E equals m c squared deal, right?"

Danny nodded. "So...the energy is made into ectoplasm?"

"And which is why you have ectoplasmic _energy _as well. The thing is both matter and energy at the same time, which defies the laws of physics, but ghosts don't really listen to those, do they? So, anyway, ghosts are much simpler than humans in composition."

"I..." Danny blinked. "I wouldn't have thought of that."

Daniel gave him a wry smile. "Spend three months in a mental hospital in a half-drugged psychotic state and see what topics _your_ mind wanders to. I looked into the nature of ghosts once I was well and my research came up with those interesting results."

"You've _researched_ ghosts?"

"Yes," Daniel replied. "You're not eating."

Danny looked between his plate and his older friend, bewildered. "I just...never expected you to know about ghosts."

"I try not to make it common knowledge and certainly wanted to keep it from you. Talking to you about something other than ghosts is a refreshing break, for both you _and_ I."

"How did you do research on ghosts?"

"I caught them and then worked on them."

"How'd you catch them?"

Daniel shrugged. "I have my ways."

"What else do you know about ghosts?"

"A few things..."

"Could you tell me?"

Daniel sighed. "_Must_ we talk about ghosts on your birthday?"

"Think of telling me all this stuff as a present to me."

Daniel sighed again. "Was afraid you'd say that. Fine, what do you want to know?"

"Anything! Where do ghosts come from?"

"That's what I _was_ researching before my father kicked me out. I know how to _kill_ ghosts, but I don't know how ghosts are _born_. At least, not yet."

"You can kill _ghosts?_" Danny asked, confused and astonished.

Daniel nodded and pushed around a french-fry. "You can."

"How?"

Daniel paused. "It depends on how strong the ghost is. For the weaker ones, if you find their 'core', you can kill them easily. It's harder for the stronger ones, understandably."

Danny nodded slightly. "What do you mean their 'core'?"

"Humans have a heart that pumps life through them, right? Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients and hormones and whatnot all over the body, right? So, rip out someone's heart and they die quickly, right?"

Danny winced, slightly grossed out, and nodded.

"Same thing with ghosts, but since they're just will and energy, they don't _have_ a 'heart'. But they _do_ have a place where all the energy radiates out from, a kind of ghostly 'heart'. So, if you find that core and drain it of its energy, the ghost loses all cohesiveness and dissipates into nothingness. _That's_ how you kill a ghost. You either sap or overload their core. It's a safer and surer bet to drain them than overload them. In an attempt to overload them you might just make them stronger."

Silence fell as the Danny ate thoughtfully, Daniel leaning back in his chair and waiting for more questions. He wondered how long it would take for Danny to start putting together all the pieces. He was going to stop leaving out names if they got to talking about his 'family' life.

He was kind of morbidly curious to see what Danny's reaction would be when he told Danny that his father's name is Vlad. Vlad Masters.

"What about the stronger ones?"

"Then you have to deal with their _will_ as well."

Danny frowned slightly.

"Ghosts are will and energy, remember, Danny? If a ghost's will is strong enough, it won't be easy to get to its core—it will be guarded against simple attacks. That's when you have to break its will first."

"How do you do that?"

"Do you want to learn how?"

"No! I'm just...curious."

"It's different for each ghost. It's risky business, killing a stronger ghost. Usually I would only incapacitate them to the point that they'd function and _might_ heal—I've only ever 'killed' a stronger ghost once, and was left bed-ridden for days."

"Why?"

"Because to break a ghost's will you have to become, at least partly, that ghost."

"How do you do that?"

Daniel paused. "So, you know how your parents' devices hone in one your 'ecto-signature'?"

Danny nodded.

"That's a simple way of saying that the devices are seeking out the special frequency upon which _your_ energy vibrates. Ectoplasm is energy, remember? You have that energy humming through your veins even now. I can imagine that any blood test you might get will come back with interesting results."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, think of it this way—if the machines can detect you in _human_ form, that means you're still exuding that energy, which means that you are still, at least in some part, ectoplasmic."

Daniel quickly reached across the table and lightly nicked Danny's forearm with his knife, making the teen yelp and slap a hand over the small cut.

"What are you doing?!"

"Take away your hand."

Danny did, reluctantly, and looked at the cut. His mouth dropped slightly as in the darkening red blood he could see flecks of what appeared to be luminescence.

"Your body lives a dual existence, and because of that, some of one always bleeds—no pun intended—into the other. What runs through your human veins now is a blood/ectoplasm mix."

Daniel paused and frowned. "Where was I going with this? Oh, right. So, each ghost vibrates at a slightly different energy signature. The way that you can become enough of the ghost to get at its will is by matching that vibration _exactly_."

"How do you do that?"

"You sure you want to learn that? It's not exactly easy and goes against a lot of what you stand for."

"What do you mean?"

"To learn what I would teach you...requires you to abandon a little bit of your ethics. I don't want you to do that unless _you_ want to."

Danny looked uneasy. "How so?"

"You're messing with something _highly_ personal. A ghost's will is like a person's mind. It...their sense of self is built from within it. When you break a ghost's will you're twisting that sense of self until they feel lost, until they break down. You..." Daniel shook his head. "That's not _you_. It's not how _you_ do things."

Danny had paled and was regarding Daniel with unease. "You're right. How did _you_ find that out, though?"

"Told you—I researched such."

"Why?"

"Why not? I was curious. What are ghosts made of? Where do they come from? Where do they go? Can they be 'born'? Can they be 'killed'? Doing that kind of research helped me refocus myself after my first psychic break."

"How'd you _do_ that research?"

"My father's excessively rich, Danny. I can have access to _anything_ I could _possibly_ want. I was able to get any equipment I needed as well as space and the ability to force the Guys in White, among others, to look the other way."

"You know about the Guys in White?"

"Who doesn't? At least, who doesn't who knows anything _real_ about ghosts?" Daniel wrinkled his nose in distaste. "They're _such_ a nuisance. The things I've had to do to get them off my ass..." Daniel shook his head with a small smile of bemused exasperation. He caught the look Danny was giving him and raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

Danny was frowning. "Are you _really_ Daniel?"

Daniel gave him a sad smile. "Yes. I'm not as nice as most people think I am. Actually, I have the capability to be quite cold...cruel..." Daniel shook his head. "But I try not to be. More flies with honey, afterall."

"So...you've been playing me?" Danny asked, hurt.

Daniel shook his head vigorously. "No! No, never with you...you bring out the best in me," he confessed, a small smile on his lips. "You draw out the person I _used_ to be. The person that I thought had died with my family..."

Danny looked _very_ confused, and Daniel didn't bother to suppress a snicker.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"You looked _so_ stupid."

Danny sputtered and Daniel laughed warmly, which made Danny unwind slowly.

"You're confusing."

"I know," Daniel said with a wry smile. "I confuse myself. Have any questions for me that don't have anything to do with ghosts?"

"Yeah. What's your dad's name?"

"Do you mean my _dad_ or my _father_?"

Danny was confused briefly before the distinction hit him. "Oh. Oh, I see. Your father, then."

_Well. This will be interesting. There's _no_ way he won't put all the pieces together after this little piece of information gets dropped in his lap._

Daniel was about to speak when his home phone went off, making him frown. Who would call his home?

"Sorry," he murmured and stood up. He picked the phone up and answered: "Hello?"

"Hi, is Danny there?"

_Jazz_, Daniel sighed inwardly. "Yeah, he's with me. Why?"

"We were wondering where he was, since it _is_ his birthday."

"He's been with me since school. We had a birthday dinner."

"And you didn't invite anyone else?!"

"Should I have?" Daniel asked dubiously. "This was meant to be something for he and I alone. He's done a lot for me."

"He has?"

Daniel nodded, forgetting that he was talking on the phone. "Yeah. We're almost done, though. I'll send him home afterwards. Alright? Later," he finished and hung up the phone before Jazz could say anything else. "That was your sister, inquiring into your whereabouts."

"Oh. I forgot to tell them?"

"Apparently," Daniel replied dryly. "That's alright, though. I told them you'd return once you're finished."

"Mm," Danny murmured, taking a bite of green bean, chewing thoughtfully. "Do you mind if I leave the dishes to you?" he asked, almost sheepishly.

Daniel waved the concern away. "Pft. I wouldn't have made you do them anyway. I'm done, so I'll pack your stuff so you can leave promptly. I'm not trying to kick you out the door—I just don't want Jazz trying to look for me."

"Why?"

"I don't want her driving all around and wasting gas."

"I see," Danny murmured and finished his meal as Daniel put everything that Danny had taken out back in the younger teen's bag. He handed it to Danny once he was obviously ready to leave.

"Well...thanks for everything," Danny said, with a smile. "The food was good...for something _you_ made."

"I'm glad my attempt meets with your approval," Daniel drawled. "Now get home and do those readings. How do you want to go home? Through the front door or the window?"

Danny paused. "I think I'll walk today."

"Fine." Daniel opened the door after releasing the locks and saw him out to the curbside. "Remember—just because today is your birthday doesn't mean you can slack! You've already done that."

Danny waved away the concern. "See you later!"

Daniel watched him go and shook his head. A thought hit him and he hesitated. Should he answer the question? Danny had apparently forgotten it or let it drop.

_No...not yet. I've already given him a lot of information to process. I didn't get to tell him who I am either...but, I suppose...now isn't the right time. I won't keep it from him much longer. Afterall...I have the oddest feeling that he'll _need_ to know. Soon._


	11. Deal

**Author: **Back after a month long break! I got a lot of writing done, but, alas, not enough for weekly updates. Therefore, we shall have bi-weekly updates, as I don't want to leave you guys hanging for a month again. I hope you like what I've to show for the hiatus.

**Disclaimer:** I've got a Clockwork T-shirt, but that's it. Nothing else belongs to me.

**Chapter 11**

Daniel's phone rang as he was picking his things up from his apartment before heading towards the arcade. He frowned and flipped the phone open, checking who it was. A small smile formed on his face and he answered it:

"Hello?"

"Daniel, great news!" Mark's voice came booming through the phone, the man obviously excited.

"Oh?" Daniel asked, putting his laptop in his bag.

"We're still in business!"

Daniel's face broke out into a pleased, smug smile. "That's great!"

"_Tell_ me about it! I'm glad I don't have to worry about looking for new work, and neither do you."

Daniel nodded. "It's tons of fun working at the arcade. I wouldn't want to work anywhere else."

"Then don't."

Daniel blinked, eyebrows raising slightly. "What?"

"Become a full time employee—no, become my partner. You've done so much for the place."

Daniel smiled and shook his head slightly, forgetting Mark couldn't see these things. "I don't mind working part-time but doing the work of a full-time employee. I'm happy to see things succeed, but I'd rather work a number of jobs at the same time—it gives me a broader experience base. I _will_ be going to college next year."

"Oh...that's too bad," Mark said, disappointment and dejection in his voice before he realized what he had said. "I mean, that's good! Going to college, that is. It'll help you get ahead."

Daniel smiled patiently, amused. "It's alright. I'm glad you like me enough to want to continuously employ me."

"Nonsense," Mark said, dismissing Daniel's comment, "I have a bad feeling I'm going to hold any other employee, part-time or full, to your standard."

Daniel chuckled softly, "You flatter me."

"Take the day off," Mark said after a brief pause.

"What?" Daniel asked, surprised.

"This is a cause for celebration! You deserve a rest."

"But--"

"Seriously, Daniel. I appreciate everything you do, but you should take time for yourself, too."

Daniel smiled faintly. "Fine." He wasn't going to protest any further.

"Good. _Relax._"

Daniel chuckled softly again and hung up, looking at the cell phone in his hand before closing it with a snap. The smallest of malignant smirks formed on his face before being replaced with mere contentment. Getting the man who had been siphoning their funds to behave had been...fun. Especially considering whom he had discovered was doing so.

He had actually been surprised at how easy getting all the information was considering who he was dealing with. Granted, had anyone else been collecting the information and following the leads, they probably would never have noticed the little things that he did that pointed him in the right direction; he had become very good at seeing underneath the underneath as a result of needing to protect both himself and Vlad.

Afterall, everyone has their enemies, and the higher up one climbs the greater the number becomes. It's almost as if status and enmity increase proportionally to each other. _He_ already had some enemies in his own time (other than the ghostly ones) _and_ had to deal with his father's, which meant that everything in their lives was kept under so many layers of protection that _no-one_ could get past them—and some had tried.

Daniel's retaliation had been vicious.

In any event, people had enemies. Always.

That there had also been little habitual road-marks that pointed him at this world's version of his foster father's dummy company as the culprit was helpful. Again, no-one but someone who was intimately acquainted with the man would have found the breadcrumbs so easily, but, still...he supposed _he_ had been the one to cure Vlad of the tiny habitual patterns of secrecy that he tended to lay.

Daniel had gathered all the information he had received and found in one nice, large file and then had taken another one that was significantly smaller, but much more dangerous and slipped it inside the large folder. He had plans to talk to the Mayor directly—it would be easier to get him to back off that way. Granted, it wouldn't endear him to the man and it _would_ draw attention to him, but as he knew what buttons to push to get what he wanted (every now and then) from Vlad, he figured that was the best policy.

So he had arranged for an appointment and arrived the next day dressed very professionally, folders tucked casually, but securely, under his arm.

"Daniel, to what do I owe this visit?" the Mayor asked him smoothly once Daniel had entered and closed the door behind him with a soft click.

Daniel gave him a small, pleasant smile. "I'm here to call in the favor you owe me."

"I had hoped you had forgotten," the Mayor told him dryly, "considering how close you've come to the deadline."

Daniel shrugged. "Bad habit. Anyway," Daniel continued. "Lately a business I help run—an arcade in the new strip-mall you've built—has been told it is to be shut down due to it losing money."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

_No, you're not._ "But, you see, according to all my records and calculations, we have been _making_ money. Therefore, some of it must be getting lost along the way."

"Maybe."

"No, sir, I'm sure of it. Therefore, I did some investigating, and I found that, indeed, someone had been intercepting our profit."

"Oh?"

Daniel took out a few sheets of paper from his large file, walked over to Vlad's desk, and laid it before the Mayor. "Have you heard of the Dalv Corporation, sir?"

"In passing," Vlad said, apparently bored, picking up a piece of paper (which happened to be an abridged version of a stock portfolio).

"Well, _they_ are the ones who have been stealing my—our—profit."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

"Mark and I are but the owners of a small business, sir—we have _no_ standing in the larger economic world. We're just another asset to a larger parent organization; therefore, I would be laughed at should I try to confront this business, seeing as it's quite large and influential."

"Indeed," the Mayor said, a hint of dryness in his voice.

"So I need your help," Daniel said and produced a few more pieces of paper. "I have done much of the legwork for you, sir—I've found out _exactly_ how they've been stealing my money." He placed them before Vlad, allowing him to look them over. "Those are bank statements of various sorts from all over the world. From how complex a pattern I had to follow, this company is very good at what it's been doing."

Vlad remained impassive, although he could see a little bit of surprise in the set of his shoulders. "So it seems."

"Do you think you would be able to get them to back off and repay the debt that my arcade has accumulated?"

"Hm...that I'm not sure about. I might not have enough leverage either."

_Bullshit. _"Well, I have some to donate, then."

"Oh?" Vlad asked, apparently intrigued in spite of himself.

Daniel took out the small folder and placed it in front of Vlad, keeping his hand firmly on it. "I've also done some looking into the staff."

"Really now?" Vlad asked, his eyes focusing on the folder Daniel was pinning to his desk.

"In particular, the CEO of the company."

Vlad looked up at him sharply and Daniel allowed himself a small smirk. "I'm certain that the information included in this little packet would be more than enough to...convince said person."

"Really now?" Vlad asked, to all appearances keeping his cool, even though Daniel could see the wariness in his eyes.

"Mm-hm," Daniel murmured and opened the folder, giving the man a glimpse of the contents long enough for Vlad's eyes to skin the newspaper articles and settle with a slight start on a particular photograph.

Vlad reached out for the folder quickly, but Daniel was faster, pulling it off his desk and snapping it shut, unable to entirely restrain a smug smirk. "Well? Do you think you would wield enough evidence to coerce said company into replacing all the funds they appropriated?"

"Quite possibly. I'd have to see the contents again."

"Not until you _promise_ that you'll get the Dalv company to replace the funds and clear up any lingering issues the parent company may have with my small business."

Vlad gave Daniel a long look that he returned evenly, not allowing triumph to show on his face. He _knew_ he had Vlad by the balls and it was just a matter of time until the man submitted.

"How do you know I won't take it and turn it on you?"

Daniel allowed himself a small, malignant smirk. "Because I happened to do more research than what is just included in this folder. Should you decide to try to use this against me...well, you can kiss your political and economic career goodbye."

"Is that a threat?" Vlad asked coldly.

Daniel gave him an impish smile. "Is it, Mayor Masters, sir?"

Vlad looked away from the teen before him and at the papers on his desk, leaving Daniel waiting in silence. _You better say yes, fruitloop. I _will_ ruin you if you say no._

The Mayor of Amity Park spoke again after a long moment, "You're dangerous."

"Very, sir," Daniel confirmed.

"You _do_ know it's a very bad idea to make an enemy of me."

"I like to think of you less as an enemy and more as a partner in business. Should you accept doing this as the favor you promised me, you will receive something equal in exchange—information, and very dangerous information at that."

Silence reigned once more before the mayor gave Daniel a small, wry smile. "You're very smart. Resourceful. I like that in a person."

"Mm-hm. Do we have a deal or not, Mayor Masters? Because if we don't..." Daniel merely shrugged.

Silence fell again and Daniel watched Vlad carefully, trying to read _anything_ about what the man was thinking.

Eventually, the Mayor sighed and shook his head. "Very well. I'll see what I can do."

Daniel walked back over to the desk, but kept the folder out of reach as he extended his non-occupied hand. "Shake on it?"

The two clasped hands and Daniel just barely kept the triumph from showing in his face. As soon as they let go, Daniel dropped the small file of incriminating materials on the desk and allowed himself the faintest of smiles as he collected the legal information he had shown the Mayor.

"It's interesting, that you are doing something for someone else rather than claiming a reward for yourself," Vlad said, flipping through the folder, his hand hesitating over the photograph. "You don't seem like the kind of person who would normally behave in such a way."

"You're right—I don't tend to like doing things for other people unless there is something in it for me. I _thought_ I was cured of my selflessness, sir; however, it appears I was wrong." Daniel finished packaging his materials before giving the Mayor a polite nod. "It was a pleasure meeting with you again. If you wouldn't mind getting in touch with me with the results of your…inquiries into Dalv, I'd appreciate it." He placed a small card with his cell number on it on the Mayor's desk before turning and leaving, the smallest of malignant smiles on his lips.

"How did you get all this?" Vlad murmured, obviously not intending for Daniel to hear.

Daniel stopped and turned, half-facing the Mayor-billionaire. He gave the man a secretive, smug half-smile and purred, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

The Mayor looked visibly surprised as Daniel turned away and exited the office.

_Wonder what surprised him,_ Daniel thought as he bid the secretary farewell, casually flirting with her as he left, making her chuckle. _I was meaning to annoy him_.

The next day, he had received a phone call from the secretary telling Daniel that Vlad had followed through on their agreement, and it had taken another day for the notice to reach their establishment.

Daniel had promptly called the man and thanked him—might as well be courteous.

He allowed himself to indulge in a soft chuckle as he sank into his couch, eyes sparkling in malign amusement.

A day off for a job well done.

A reward for being a manipulative bastard.

_Funny, how the world rewards the cruel and belittles the pure._

--

"Daniel, what am I going to _do_?"

Daniel gave his younger self a patient smile over the edge of his laptop and shook his head slightly. "Your best. That's all that can be asked, right? At least you don't have to go to school every day."

"Yeah, but, _still_. It's _finals._"

Daniel voiced an utterly unsympathetic chuckle. "Look," he said, hands resting lightly on the keys of his computer as he took a brief sweep of the arcade, "it won't be as bad as you think. I've guided you through math and science, and I think you actually have a grip on all the concepts. You have to drill dates and useless facts into your head for history, go over your notes and Lancer's expectations for English, and practice and memorize vocab and grammar for your foreign language exam. You'll survive."

"You make it sound so _easy_."

"You're just being melodramatic," Daniel teased. "If you're really _that_ worried, though, I suppose that a little supernatural help would be in order, no?"

"What?" Danny asked, slightly suspicious.

Daniel laughed. "Nothing to do with ghosts. I have a study charm that I bought in Japan from a shrine in Kyoto. I don't know if it actually _works_, but it made me feel better when I was taking the SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject tests. Do you want to borrow it?"

"...I guess. It can't _hurt_, right?"

"It's a _good-luck_ charm, Danny."

"I dunno...I feel like Desiree could come and mess things up if I use it."

"Hm...good point," Daniel murmured. "Well, _that_, at least, can be easily fixed."

"It can?"

"Put a ghost shield around the room you're taking finals in. It'll keep _any_ ghosts from interfering while allowing humans to pass in and out freely."

"But using a machine from my basement is annoying, since they're big and clunky...hey, hold on. How come I've never actually seen _your_ ghost shield generator?"

"Because it _isn't_ big and clunky. It's about the size of an alarm clock. It rests on the table right next to my door."

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah."

"Can I borrow it? Just for those days?"

Daniel hesitated. Could he support a ghost shield of his own from the ING and the electronics store? He wasn't entirely certain.

..._wait a minute..._"Can't you create a ghost shield of your own?"

"Well, yeah."

"So why don't you do that?"

"Because I have to be in _that_ form to be able to do so."

"You mean you don't know how to support something as simple as a ghost shield while in human form?"

Danny bristled slightly. "No, do _you_?"

"And if I do?"

Danny stared. "Seriously?"

"Danny, we _have_ established that I don't lie to _you_."

"But...how?"

Daniel hesitated. Should he tell him?

"Well? How do you know?"

Daniel sighed heavily. "I just do. I _have_ studied ghosts."

"But you made it sound like you could make one on your own."

"Do you think I would be able to make one?"

"You've surprised me tons before."

_There's no way to get out of this, is there?_ He sighed inwardly before he opened his hand and a small green ball of ecto-energy formed in the middle of his palm, casting its eerie glow around Daniel's hand.

Danny's jaw hit the floor, making Daniel smile faintly. Daniel closed his hand and the energy dissipated. "Anyway, when are you parents planning on dragging us cross-country? And what are they using? I need to know so I can get the appropriate time off."

Daniel enjoyed spending time with this younger self, finding amusement in the little things he did and said. Three years, the deaths of his entire family, a suicide attempt, and lots of touch-and-go with medication had really altered him from the person he had once been. Any opportunity he could take to hang out with _Danny_ was a pleasure, although he would have to be careful about his medication around Danny's family. He didn't want questions asked, but got the bad feeling that they _would_ be asked. He'd have to come up with a plausible story that wasn't too far from the truth—he wouldn't be able to keep it consistent otherwise.

"Where'd you get the ghost power?!"

_Obviously he's not going to be sidetracked._ "Genetic mutation_."_ It was true. Getting zapped by the Ghost Portal had modified his genetics enough that his ghost powers could be considered a mutation of his human DNA. At least, that's what the blood tests said.

"And you haven't _told_ me?"

Daniel shrugged. "There was no need to."

"No need to—!" Danny sputtered and glowered at Daniel who merely shrugged.

"Is it going to change me any more than telling you about my sickness did?"

Danny was obviously about to say something to the effect of 'YES!' but forced himself to consider a moment. Eventually, he sighed. "No, it won't."

"There you go. I'll still be who I am, which translates to a lovable pain in the ass."

"More like just a plain pain in the ass."

Daniel chuckled and gave Danny a wry smile.

"What can you do with what you have? Were you just _born_ with ghost powers or did you get them somehow?" Danny asked, curious.

"I can use some offensive and defensive moves...and I received my ghost powers. It was because of an accident…stupid peer pressure," Daniel finished in a grumble.

"Peer pressure?"

"Yeah, my friends goaded me into causing the event that gave me my powers. That's not important, though. What _is_ important is that I can teach you how to shield when you're in human form."

"Do you have a ghost form?"

Daniel sighed heavily. _Why can't he let himself be sidetracked this _one_ time?_ "Yes, I do."

"What does it look like?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yeah! I wanna see it!"

"You're awfully interested in this," Daniel said dryly. "Why?"

"Just because."

Daniel paused, and gave Danny a long, weighing look. "Danny, do you know who I am? Don't answer right away—take some time to _think_. I know it's asking a lot of you, but I'm sure you can do it."

Danny bristled briefly at the last comment before calming and looking confused. "What do you mean?"

"Right now you have an idea, have come to a conclusion, and you want me to confirm or deny it for you. The thing is, I don't think you've entirely worked that idea through. Ponder it later. Right now I'd like to focus on teaching you so you don't have to worry about interruptions when you're taking your tests."

"Will using my energy to make a shield make me sleepy or unable to concnetrate?"

Daniel shrugged. "Does using your ecto-beam when you're in human form make you sleepy or take undo amounts of concentration?"

"No, not really..."

"Same thing. You're just molding your energy into a different form. You already know how to make a shield, right? You just can't sustain it without being in your other form."

Danny nodded.

Daniel opened his mouth to continue, but shut it, then frowned. How _would_ he explain it? It was more a sense of...of..._feeling_ things, just _knowing_ them intuitively than learning them.

_Perhaps that will work? I've never tried using it in such a way before, though…_

"Danny, come here."

Danny walked over and Daniel held a hand over the younger teen's heart as he closed his eyes. It took a little tweaking, but eventually Daniel managed to force his energy signature to vibrate in sync with Danny's. There was the familiar sense of vertigo and the odd sensation of having a dual existence, but Daniel ignored it; however, he was almost thrown out of it when Danny panicked and pulled away, but he managed (barely) to maintain the connection.

"Relax, Danny. I will never _ever_ hurt you," he told the younger teen softly.

"What's going on?" Danny asked, the slightest note of panic to his voice.

"I'm synced with you—and because of that, I have a pathway _into_ you, as you _do_ happen to be half-_ghost_. Again, _don't worry._ I can't teach you if you don't _calm down_."

Danny looked at Daniel, and the older teen could easily read the fear in his eyes. Daniel gave him a small, gentle smile. "I promise I won't hurt you. Now come back here. The closer you are the easier it is for me to teach you and the sooner I'll drop out."

Danny came hesitantly over and Daniel lightly pressed his palm over Danny's heart, closing his eyes.

_Do you feel _that? Daniel asked, directing Danny's attention to the cold at his heart. _Your energy—both of them, ice and ghost—reside there. Your heart is your 'core' in both human and ghost senses. Before I really get into what to do, you have to get a better feel for what you _are_. _

Daniel guided Danny in exploring the extent of his energy, feeling out what it was when inert and when he exercised it in human form.

_We'll work on ghost form later. You don't want to transform in the middle of the arcade, do you?_

'No!'

Once Daniel was absolutely certain that Danny had an intimate understanding of what exactly his half-ghost genes had gifted—or maybe cursed—him with, he allowed himself to fall out of sync with the younger teen, briefly disoriented as he settled back into his skin. He took a quick look at his watch and smirked faintly. About 5 minutes had passed from when he had started training Danny.

He turned his attention back to the arcade as Danny struggled to readjust to it being just him in his skin.

_He has confirmed it by now, I have no doubt. He was a part of me as much as I was of him...and while I much better at keeping myself separate and safe...it's hard to miss all the similarities that closely connected._

"So, again, about that trip. When, where, how long, and by what means are we traveling?" he asked casually, quickly checking his e-mails.

"Well...after Jazz's graduation party--" Danny said slowly, gaining his wits again.

"Jazz is _graduating?_"

"Yeah, I know. It's weird...I'd forgotten until Jazz mentioned it."

Daniel whistled softly. _Damn. I'm her age or _older_. Ow my brain_. "I'll have to say congrats next I see her. Where is she going?"

"Princeton."

"Good for her. It's half-impossible to get into it if you aren't a legacy."

"A legacy?"

"One or both of your parents went to the university."

"Oh."

Daniel leaned back and smiled faintly. "I was able to get into University of Wisconsin hands down. In a way, I have a _triple_ legacy."

"What? How?"

"My birth parents _and_ my foster father all went there. I wonder if I could have used deceased relatives, though..."

"Dunno," Danny said vaguely thoughtful. "But, my parents graduated from there, too."

"_IIIIIIt's a smaaaall world aaaafter aaaall,_" Daniel sung intentionally out of tune, making Danny mock-wince. "Anyway. So we leave after Jazz's graduation. How long are we gone for, where are we going, and what are we going in?"

"In a way...it's up to you. Mom and dad work from home and neither me or Jazz work."

"Neither Jazz _nor I_ work," Daniel corrected absently. "Huh. Interesting. Well, I'll talk it over with my bosses. I'm fairly diligent as workers go, so it shouldn't be _too_ hard to convince them." _And if they don't want to agree to what I want...well, there are a number of easy ways around that. _"So, I dictate for how long. Where are we going and how are we getting there?"

"Well, again, depending on how long...but I heard my parents throwing around New Orleans, Philadelphia, places in New Mexico, places in Georgia, and a hunt for _real_ 'ghost towns' in the West. Then again, you can never really tell with them _where_ you'll end up. We'll _probably_ take the Fenton RV, but depending on how long you can get off, there might be a chance we'll use the jet..."

"You have a jet?" Daniel sounded impressed and slightly excited. _He_ had never used the jet, even though he'd always wanted to.

"Yeah," Danny said with a grin.

"You've driven it before?"

"Yup."

"Ah, _man_. I've only ever been allowed to sit in one."

"That's not fair!"

"_Tell_ me about it," Daniel groused. He looked over at his younger self and gave him a small smile. "You look tired. Learning what you did takes a lot of concentration and energy. Go home and sleep. Don't _over_sleep, though! You need to study, y'know. What's your schedule?"

"Monday: History. Tuesday: Science and Foreign Language. Wednesday: Nothing. Thursday: Math and English. And then I'm done."

"All done in one week...doesn't sound _too_ bad. Come by my place Wednesday and we'll go over Math and English, being as they're your two weakest subjects."

"Hey!"

Daniel smiled faintly when Danny yawned. "Go. Rest. I'll see you around."

Danny nodded absently and Daniel watched him go with a small smile. He was about to turn back to his work when his ghost sense went off and he was thrust into a near panic.

_Shit! Danny won't be able to take this guy on in the state he's in!_

Daniel quickly scrambled out of his chair and came upon Danny just as the battle was about to start. He was horrified to see how _weak_ Danny appeared from the paces he had put the younger teen through.

He didn't bother to stop and think after that. He was here to protect the younger teen from whatever was trying to kill him as well as train him, and he'd be damned if he didn't do exactly that. He split apart, sending a copy back to where he was supposed to be working as he transformed into his ghostly self.

Well, at least this gave him an opportunity to test the move he'd been developing based around Danny's Ghostly Wail.

He gave two sharp whistles that _slammed_ into the ghost, making it whirl and focus on Daniel.

"Hello, Minimus," he purred, gathering energy around him, having immediately recognized the ghost.

"It's _Maximus_," the ghost snarled at him and Daniel laughed, the most devilish of smirks on his face.

"Really now?" he sneered. Daniel vanished and suppressed his ghost signature until it was nonexistent—invisible in every way.

"Where'd it go?" Maximus snarled, distracted from Danny, who floated to the ground and fell to his knees, exhausted even by floating.

"Right now you're too tired to fight," Daniel whispered in Danny's ear, keeping firm hands on his shoulder to prevent him from jumping in surprise. "I want you to keep a safe distance away, and if you won't do it willingly, I will _make_ you. Please, Danny," Daniel murmured.

"But--"

"Quiet," Daniel insisted. "And keep safe."

Daniel left a clone behind with Danny and flew back into the sky, still invisible, looking at the ghost. He recalled the last time they had fought and knew that, should he let this ghost land a solid hit, it would be over for him in a heartbeat.

_I hate long-distance energy battles,_ Daniel groused. He teleported away and became visible to conserve his energy. "Over here, small-fry."

The ghost turned with an angry scowl on its face and lunged for Daniel. Daniel formed a ball of energy in one hand and threw it at the ghost, who dodged it easily. Daniel casually snapped his fingers and the energy ball split apart into hundreds of tiny spheres that peppered the ghost, distracting and annoying it, but not _hurting_ it.

Daniel formed a sphere of energy around him that thinned and squished to form a ring, and he dodged the ghost's physical attacks with apparent ease, the smallest of smirks on his face the entire time.

_It's a good thing this one is mostly physical. I don't think I could take an energy-proficient one right now,_ Daniel thought idly. The ring around him continued to thin and sharpen until it was only barely visible when viewed edge-on.

"Is that _really_ the best you can do?" Daniel sneered. There was a fine line where the ghost got angry/sloppy and where it turned into focused, deadly rage, and Daniel was always bad at reading where that line lay. He only prayed that today he would know just the right buttons to hit without pushing the ghost _too_ far.

"I'm just getting started," the ghost replied, and Daniel relaxed slightly. Arrogance was good.

"I see," Daniel replied before flicking his hand outwards. The ring around him shattered into bird-like blades of energy that honed in on the ghost before him.

The ghost deflected many of them with sheer brute force, but those that penetrated its guard left long, deep gashes in their wake before fading to nothingness, making the ghost scream in frustration.

Had Daniel needed to breathe, he would be gasping. His energy was waning very, very quickly from sustaining his clone in the arcade and the one close to Danny as well as keeping his own body in ghost form.

_Last just a little longer, Daniel. Everything is almost ready._

"Who _are_ you?" the ghost snarled as it lunged at Daniel, who only _barely_ avoided the punches and kicks, frustrating the ghost further while making Daniel nervous at his own weakness.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Daniel quipped, teleporting away. He only _barely_ hid is wince as he could feel his energy waning dangerously low.

_Get him to talk, Daniel. Distract him with words. That'll keep you from having to move and fight back._

"However, I know who _you_, are, Minimus."

"It's _Maximus!_"

"Whatever," Daniel said flippantly. "You're just some washed-up ghost who is more brawn than brains. I wonder that someone like Trantula or Hypno haven't driven you into the ground yet."

"_They_ would never be able to beat me! I'd squish them like bugs before they could get a hold of _my_ mind!"

"Uh-huh," Daniel drawled. "You're not the _strongest_ ghost out there either, you know. I bet the _Box Ghost_ is stronger than you."

The ghost roared in anger and Daniel whistled sharply again and the angry roar turned into a scream of pain and fear as all the little pellets that had peppered him from Daniel's first attack burst into life, draining the ectoplasm around them and changing it into energy before exploding outwards, leaving the ghost looking like so much swiss cheese.

Daniel threw up a shield around the ghost and guided it to the ground, upon which he stepped inside and regarded the ghost with disdain.

"Pathetic," he sneered and froze all the wounds, keeping them from healing while causing the ghost a great deal of...discomfort. He knelt down next to it and smiled faintly, his hand curling around its visible core.

"Now, I have questions I want answered, and you're going to answer them...whether you want to or not."

"Who are you?" the ghost demanded.

"_I'm_ the one asking questions," Daniel reminded the ghost cheerfully and squeezed the ghost's core, making it gasp in pain. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes. How did you get here?" Daniel asked with a small smile, watching the half blasted-off face of the ghost carefully.

"I don't have to tell you," the ghost snapped.

"Oh, a defiant one, hm?" Daniel murmured, voice darkly amused. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood—instead of torturing you for the answers I'm merely going to pry them out of that thick skull of yours." A malignant smirk bloomed on his face at the horror that unfolded on the ghost's countenance.

Daniel's grip on the ghost's core grew stronger and instead of _he_ syncing with the ghost, he forced the _ghost's_ energy to vibrate in time with his own.

The ghost went rigid in surprise while Daniel remained impassive, eyes closed and brow furrowed in concentration. Eventually, a smirk formed on his face and his hand clamped down entirely on the ghost's core, dragging its energy into him, replenishing his alarmingly low reserves. He stood and sighed before turning and facing the three horrified teens standing outside his ectoshield. He gave them all a polite nod before vanishing, to the dismay of the curious the group. He slipped back into the clone that had been watching the arcade, dispelled the clone that had been watching Danny, and sighed once he returned to his human form and became visible, taking his rightful place.

He rubbed his eyes vigorously, struggling to keep himself conscious. _You can pass out later, Daniel. Stay awake for now. It's only a few hours. You have lots to think about anyway, what with the knowledge that you dragged from that ghost._

Daniel was pleased to find that it had possessed a surprisingly good memory for being so dimwitted. It recalled almost _exactly_ whom he had interacted with and how he had arrived in this time.

How it had arrived explained a few things, the least of them being the occasional shortness of breath Daniel had been experiencing: something was happening between _his_ time—where he and the ghost had come from—and Danny's. The 'bubbles' that Danielle had spoke of were points where the fabric between the two was stretched to the breaking point. The existence of such places made Daniel nervous, as it could possibly, and probably did, mean only bad things for him. In any event, the ghost had crossed times using one of the bubbles, utilizing weaker ghosts as a buffer, as the transition dissolved ghosts into a pure energy state unless sufficiently protected.

This made Daniel wonder about his passage into Danny's time—did he survive because of something the older trio did? Or was he protected by something else? In any case, the walls between the two were becoming drastically thin, and Daniel wondered why Clockwork was allowing it. Wasn't it his, well, _job_, to make sure things went well with time? Was he slacking off?

Or was this all meant to be? The thought made Daniel nervous. It had a ring of...futility, of helplessness against the future to it, and Daniel was a _strong_ believer in 'life is what you make of it'.

That state of affairs wasn't what was worrying him, though. What worried _him_ was the ghost's knowledge of the ghost population of his home time...as well as who, or rather, _what_, the ghost had encountered.

His home ghost population was slowly depleting. A great many of the Major Players from his time (sans Walker, of course, as _he_ wasn't a major player anymore; hadn't been for a while, actually) had already been pulled into this time. It was _frustrating_ that he didn't have any news of the human world, but he had expected as much. He wanted to know what was going on with Vlad, but knew that he wouldn't find out unless he asked about _Plasmius_.

The lack of that particular persona puzzled the teen. _Could something have happened to Vlad?_ Daniel thought before snorting and shaking his head. _Like hell. The good die young but the evil _never go away_. He's also half-ghost...god knows how long his shelf-life is._

He had also gotten an idea as to why ghost attacks had been down lately in Danny's time—something had all (well, _most_) of the ghosts terrified. Whatever that was had them occupied enough with hiding to not bother about attacking. The ghost had only seen a brief flash of whatever it was before it had crossed over into the human world, and it left Daniel puzzled.

Flame-hair, indeed. Silver, though? White, maybe? It _seemed_ to be physically strong, from how its body shape, what the ghost had seen of it, appeared. Male—again, a supposition based on what little the ghost had seen and the snippet of conversation it had caught.

_Then who was the female the vultures were talking about? Did this..._thing_...get rid of whatever her threat was?_ Daniel sighed. _Too many questions and not enough answers._

Daniel sighed and leaned back into his chair. "Damn," he murmured softly, one hand's fingers tapping agitatedly against the armrest. _Life gets more and more complicated. Especially since what conversation this ghost caught had Danny's name in it. Or, would it be Dani? They sound _exactly_ alike, but, unfortunately, he caught no sex-specific pronouns. Ah, well. I'll just have to step up Danny's training. I don't want him helpless against this threat. Perhaps I should bring this ghost's appearance up in casual conversation...Danny might know something. I'll worry about that later. Right now, I have to focus on _staying awake.

Daniel idly wondered as he struggled to keep his eyes open what effects his open presence in the ghostly world would have. Would he be discounted as just a stranger passing through? Would he be viewed as a threat? An aid? Only time would tell. Daniel _was_ certain about one thing, though.

Eventually, this Ghost Zone, too, would fear him.


	12. Studies

**Author: **Back again for another update. Again, I express my gratitude for all the reviews, story alerts, story favorites, etc. It's quite flattering to know people like my work. It validates the time I put into it. I apologize if this isn't the kind of work you expect--I have had no printer and therefore haven't be able to edit as thoroughly as I would have liked.

**Disclaimer**: I have t-shirts with Danny Phantom stuff on them, but aside from that, I own nothing.

**Chapter 12**

"Danny, _stop being stubborn,_" Daniel half-growled, rubbing his temples in frustration.

"I'm not!" Danny protested petulantly.

"Danny, if I looked in the dictionary right now for the word 'stubborn', there would be a picture of _you_ next to it."

Danny glared at Daniel, who merely sighed. "Look. You just have two tests left. You're _very_ lucky that all your finals are finished in one week. However, since you seem absolutely set against hunkering down and just getting it over with, I will act as this weird angel/devil hybrid hovering over your shoulder until you finish your tests. _I'll_ even be the one to set up a shield so that you can use absolutely no excuse as to being distracted and doing poorly on those exams."

Danny glowered at the practice sheet before him as he sat on the couch in Daniel's apartment. "Where'd you _get_ all these problems?"

"From your textbook and homework," Daniel answered succinctly. "Now get working."

Danny groused, but eventually got down to working on the practice problems before him, making Daniel smile faintly. The older half-ghost sat down at his kitchen table and began to go through the mail he had received that day.

He heaved an inward sigh. _Nothing but bills. I feel like I have bills for bills!_

He pulled out the notebook he kept track of his finances in and placed it beside his checkbook, receipts for groceries and other small necessities as well as the bills forming a semi-circle before him. For the longest time, the only sounds in the small apartment were the scraping of pencil against paper, punctuated by the occasional frustrated sigh or growl and the frantic, angry rub of an eraser.

Both half-ghosts jumped noticeably when there was a knock at Daniel's door. Daniel gestured for Danny to stay seated as he answered the door. He frowned when it opened upon Sam, Tuck, and Jazz.

"Can I help you?" he asked, slightly puzzled. _Did Danny tell them where I lived?_

"Danny's here, right?"

"Yes...why?"

"We figured we'd all study together, since he seems to actually get work done here."

"It's probably due to the lack of distractions," Daniel said dryly, but let the three in, closing and locking the door behind them. "Makes yourselves comfortable," he said reluctantly. Five people in his apartment was making it a little crowded. "Unfortunately, the only thing I have to offer in the way of hospitality is water."

"It's okay," Jazz said and settled next to her brother on the couch as Tucker and Sam found other perches for themselves.

Daniel was astonished to find that they all were, in fact, planning on studying. He scratched his head in baffled amusement before shrugging and returning to his own work.

Danny eventually finished his problem set and put down his pencil with an air of finality and pride. "Done."

"Let me see," Daniel said and beckoned to the younger half-ghost, who stood and dropped the pieces of paper he had worked on in front of Daniel.

Daniel took out the answer sheet he had made and went through everything Danny had done for content, procedure, and whether or not he got the correct answer.

After 10 minutes, he handed the sheet back to Danny with a small smile. "You're getting better, but your solids still suck. I'll make you a special review sheet for that with example problems for you to solve as well as ones worked out for you."

"Really?"

"Of course. I'll also include a little review of all the other important concepts you learned this year. However, you're sitting next to me while I do so."

"Okay," Danny said with a sigh, pulling a chair over and positioning himself next to Daniel.

Daniel pushed away what he had been working on and flipped open a spare notebook to a clean page. "We'll start with the easy and work our way to the complex."

The two became engrossed in their work, and it wasn't until Danny's stomach began to growl loudly that Daniel put his pencil down and gave his younger self a wry smile. "Chinese, pizza, or a trip to the supermarket?"

"You buy chinese a lot...maybe pizza?"

"What kind? The usual? And should we get pasta as well? I know that the carbo-loading probably only works for athletes, but..."

"Worth a try, I guess."

"Why don't we get pasta on pizza?" Daniel asked after a moment of consideration.

"There's such a thing?"

"I think I remember seeing penne pizza..."

"Woah."

"I know. So, shall we section a whole pie or just get slices?"

"Slices would probably be better. _I_ might be good at fractions now, but that doesn't mean the pizza people are."

Daniel couldn't help the small snicker that forced its way past his lips. "So, what?" he asked, looking at Danny.

"A slice of the penne, two cheese, a buffalo chicken and a vegetable one?"

"Two of all of them."

"What, seriously? You can eat that much?"

"If I don't, there's breakfast."

A cough brought their attention to the fact that there were _other_ people to feed besides the two of them.

"Oh," Daniel murmured, and gave them all a small wry smile. "We have five people to feed. Quick, Danny—how many pies would it take to feed five people?"

"How many slices per person?"

"That's a variable."

"Oh, c'mon! Don't make it _too_ hard."

"Well, we have two girls and three guys. How many slices to girls tend to eat?"

"I dunno, but I know Jazz eats two to three, depending on how hungry she is."

"What about Samantha?"

"Two."

"We'll round up for Jasmine—more is always better, at least in pizza. So, there's 5 slices right now. How many slices, total, will we guys eat?"

"It depends on the type of pizza. Tuck will eat more if it's a meat pizza than just a plain cheese one."

"How many meat?"

"Five or so."

"Plain?"

"Three."

"And you?"

"Three."

"And I eat two."

"Seriously?"

"I'm on a budget—my stomach has shrunk from how little I've been eating."

"You haven't been starving yourself, have you?"

"No, Danny, I haven't been starving myself. Say we get a part-meat pizza for Tucker."

"Fine. So, 5 and 3 and 2 is 10 pieces. Add to that the 5 the girls will eat and we have 15 pieces."

"So, how many pies?"

"Small, medium, large, or extra-large?"

"Start with small and work your way up."

"Asshole."

"Do it."

"One small pizza is about 5 pieces, right?"

"Fine."

"So, 3 small pizzas will feed everyone. A pie for Tucker, one for the girls, and one for us."

"Or some combination of the above. How about using medium pizza?"

"Two with leftover. Or you could get one medium and one small."

"If we assume that a medium is 10 pieces. How about large?"

"One large pizza. And if you get one extra-large there will be leftovers."

"Now, let's say that a small pizza costs 8, a medium costs 12, a large costs 15 and an extra-large costs 17. Those are the baseline prices. Each additional topping will cost extra, although deals exist. What—"

"Guys, can we _just order pizza?_"

The two Dannys blinked and Daniel smiled wryly as Danny rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Where do you want it from and what do you want on it?" Daniel asked, taking out the phonebook he had received in the mail.

After a bit of debate, it was decided that they would get a large pizza and a small one—the large being half-cheese half-meat lovers while the small would be white vegetable supreme.

"Leftovers can be breakfast," Daniel said dryly after hanging up the phone. "Sorry, but I have to ask for just a _small_ contribution from each of you. The electronics store hasn't paid me yet."

There was a general shrug and Daniel collected the money to pay for the pizza, setting it aside underneath a small notepad.

"C'mon, Danny, we'll work until the pizza comes—then you eat and go home and get a good night's sleep. That means _no _DOOM until 4AM and _no_ _ghost hunting_ tonight."

"But—"

"NO, Danny. I haven't helped you as much as I have to have you bomb the tests because you were stupid. _Do it._"

Danny gave the older teen a sullen look and grumbled uncomplimentary things about him.

Daniel smirked faintly before the expression faded and he became thoughtful. "No, you know what? If I force you to study any more, you'll stop absorbing anything. I'll finish writing up the sheet—you watch TV."

Danny's look changed to one of surprise. "Really?"

"Danny..."

"Right, right, you don't lie to me," Danny said before flopping down on the couch, picking up the remote and turning on the TV.

Daniel shook his head with a small smile and went back to finishing the review sheet.

About a half hour later, the pizza arrived and all other activity stopped in favor of food.

Daniel was amused to find himself sharing dinner with Danny _and_ his friends—it meant that he had almost entirely wormed his way, mostly unconsciously, into Danny's life. He was more than content to simply sit back and watch the four teens interact, keeping himself at a distance for, while he _was_ a part of Danny's life, he wasn't a very big or important one.

Or so he thought.

"What courses did _you_ take in high school?" Danny asked.

Daniel blinked and looked a little sheepish. "I wasn't exactly the best student my first two years, but my foster-father got on my back about my grades and I dragged them up. I was on the normal track for freshman and sophomore year...but by the end of this past year, I was taking a few AP classes..."

"Which ones?" Jazz asked, curious.

Daniel shrugged. "AP Literature and AP Micro/Macroeconomics."

"No math?"

Daniel shook his head. "Just pre-calculus."

"Then how come you're so _good_ at it?" Danny asked with a confused look.

"I can be good at something and not be in the advanced classes," Daniel replied, wiping some grease off his fingers.

"Did you apply to college?"

Daniel nodded. "I did. But, I decided that a year off could serve me better if I _really_ wanted to go into business. Just to make sure that my plans for the future were the right ones."

"That shows a remarkable amount of forethought and maturity," Jazz said, looking mildly impressed.

Danny snorted. "Daniel's anything _but_ mature."

Daniel lightly cuffed his younger self on the head. "I _can_ be mature. I just choose not to be—life is much more fun when you're not worrying about being so."

"Sure," Danny drawled in a near-perfect imitation of Daniel that made the older teen laugh.

"Where did you apply?"

"Primarily where my father wanted me to," he said dryly, examining the surprisingly empty pizza boxes. "The Ivys. Villanova. NYU. The university nearby." Daniel shrugged. "I didn't get into most of them."

"Liar."

Daniel blinked and looked at Danny. "What?"

"You're lying."

Daniel frowned. "What makes you say that?" Daniel _had_ been lying—he had gotten into Princeton, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Cornell, Villanova, and University of Wisconsin. There had been brief discussion about him applying to Oxford, but the prospect of being entirely across the Atlantic Ocean was decidedly a bad thing. Still, 7 out of 10 with the odds stacked against him...Daniel was almost _certain_ that there had been some talk behind closed doors; he could never be certain, though—Vlad would evade the question if he asked.

"I just _know_ you, and you probably got into more schools than you're letting on."

Daniel sighed. "Fine, I got into 70 percent of the schools I applied to."

"Which ones?"

"Guess," Daniel said archly, looking at Danny with a small, smug smirk.

"Hey!"

Daniel laughed at the glower he received. Danny was unable to maintain the indignation for long, cracking a smile after only a short amount of time.

Daniel sighed with a small smile and pushed away from the table, standing. "Danny, help me clean up. You three can relax or study as the spirit strikes you—I just ask that you're out of here before 10."

"Danny's curfew," Jazz commented, smiling slightly.

"Indeed," Daniel replied mock-seriously. "Until then..." Daniel shrugged and began to wash the dishes they had used, getting Danny to toss out all the garbage before letting him join his friends and sister.

He smiled faintly once the others were busy, and placed the plates back in their cabinet. _How funny...even when I try to stay out of the conversation, something drags me into it...and Danny can tell when I'm lying...it's probably because I only ever tell the truth around him. Ah, man. _He looked over his shoulder and found himself smiling softly. _Well, I suppose this is good. I was brought here to teach and protect said younger half-ghost—now that I'm emotionally invested in him, I'll be certain to do so. I didn't know I still had it in me._

He turned away and finished putting everything in their places, only to be called out of his revere by Danny calling his name.

_Perhaps..._he thought as he walked over, drying his hands, _perhaps I matter to _him_ as well._

--

Daniel blinked in surprise when he saw Danny approaching him in the electronics store. The teen had _never_ come to see him at his job at the mall before; this was probably because Daniel was never really out on the floor, and therefore wasn't visible to customers.

"Danny! What brings you here?" he asked, setting down what he had been carrying before wiping away the little bit of perspiration that had formed on his forehead. He was _always_ stuck with the heavy lifting...mostly because his ghostly genetics gave him slightly super-human strength.

"You mean I can only visit you at the arcade?" Danny teased.

"No, but..." Daniel sighed. "It's easier to talk to you then, as I don't have to worry about my boss being constantly on my back." Daniel looked at his watch and sighed softly. "Thankfully, you have the good luck of coming just before I get off. Think you can wander the mall for 15 minutes before meeting me back here?"

"Sure," Danny said with a small smile. "See you then."

Daniel nodded. "Sorry."

Daniel smiled faintly as he watched Danny walk away before turning around to go back to the shipping room to retrieve more printers. In doing so, he nearly ran into a customer, and only his reflexes kept them from colliding.

"Sorry," he murmured. "I should have watched where I was going."

"No, no, it's okay. I'm fine."

Daniel frowned inwardly. _What's _she_ doing here?_ He thought as he found himself looking at Paulina. _She doesn't seem the type for technology unless it somehow augments her beauty._ "Glad to hear it," he murmured before moving around her.

"You work here?"

Daniel sighed inwardly. He didn't want to deal with her right now—not when he was almost off. "Yes, I do," he said, giving her a smile. "Unfortunately, that means I'm unable to spend time socializing with such a lovely lady as yourself," he murmured, unconsciously turning on the charm. "I must beg your pardon again—perhaps you will catch me at a better time in the future."

"Can I have your phone number, then? To, y'know, see if you're free?"

"Alas, my cell phone has run out of minutes (lie number 1) and the phone company cut my home service, as I was late on the payments (lie number 2). I _can_ give you an e-mail address that you could contact me at (lie number 3). Would that be okay?"

"It'd be wonderful! Here, I'll give you mine."

Daniel wrote down the e-mail he directed all spam to and handed it to her, receiving her obviously prepared contact information in return.

"I'll see you later?"

"If the Fates have it be so," Daniel answered in a warm voice with a smooth, easy smile that left Paulina blushing (and the girls around her envious). He turned and walked back to the storage room, heaving a gusty sigh once he was alone.

_I don't need this,_ he grumbled inwardly, picking up two boxes. _Isn't my life complicated enough without having to deal with hormonal girls?_

He walked back out, calm again and moved to put away the printers he had carried out, checking the tags to make sure everything was in the right place.

A rather emphatic, yet somehow polite, cough made Daniel look up as he stood from his crouch, brushing dust from the floor off his pants. "Can I help you?" he asked and looked at the rather imposing man standing before him.

"If you break my daughter's heart, I'll break your neck."

Daniel blinked, then snorted and gave the man a small smile. "I'm harmless, I swear, sir; I have no intention of dating her."

"What, she not good enough for you?"

Daniel shook his head. "She wouldn't be happy with me," he said with a shrug.

"Then you're leading her on?"

"No, sir, and if it seems as if I am, I apologize, both to you and her. Now, I'm sorry, but I have work that needs to be done."

The man reached out as if to grab his shirt, but Daniel deftly evaded the strike, surprising the adult. Daniel walked away as if nothing had ever happened, further baffling the man, which made the teen smirk and snicker softly.

_Ah, man. My life never ceases to be interesting._

Daniel finished running a final check on the floor stock before clocking out and leaving the store. He sighed once he was out of it and into the mall proper. _I admit, this is my most trying job,_ he thought as he stood casually outside, waiting for Danny to make an appearance.

Once he caught sight of the younger teen he walked over, meeting him halfway. "So, what brings you here? You've never visited me at _that_ job before."

"Because I was busy with schoolwork. But now that my finals are over..." Danny gave him a broad grin. "I have free time!"

"Until you decide to get a job. You _are_ legal now."

Danny scowled. "Can't I take even a _little_ time to just chill?"

Daniel shrugged. "Your decision. I actually never worked until now—I didn't need to, my financial situation being what it was." There was a comfortable pause as they walked towards the main exit of the mall. "How were the final two tests?"

Danny sighed gustily. "Frustrating. But, they're over now, and _that's_ what counts. No homework for 2 whole months!"

Daniel smiled softly and chuckled. "Well. When will you get your grades so I can see if I had any effect at all?"

"Dunno. They'll turn up one day and I'll show them to you."

"Thanks," Daniel drawled dryly before he paused and looked through the window of a higher-end clothing shop. He inexplicably felt a twinge of longing. _Vlad shops here, doesn't he? He's such a fucking snob..._

"Do you like that kind of stuff?"

"Hm?" Daniel blinked and looked down at his younger self before shrugging. "Not really. It's not like I can afford it now, anyway; they're so far out of my price range it isn't even funny. By the way," Daniel said as he started walking again, "I have an interesting problem on my hands."

"Oh?"

"Paulina is _stalking me._"

"What?!" Danny exclaimed, _very_ surprised.

"Yeah, I know," Daniel drawled, taking out the scrap of paper he had received from her. "She gave me her physical address, e-mail, _and_ phone number. Desperate much?"

"If you don't want girls chasing after you, stop _flirting_ with them."

"I'm _not_ flirting with them!" Daniel protested. _Usually,_ he amended inwardly.

"Well, it sure seems that way."

Daniel huffed in annoyance before shrugging. "Ah, well. It can't be helped."

Danny snorted. "Oh, right!" he half-exclaimed, having remembered something. "I was told to ask if you wanted to come to Jazz's graduation."

Daniel's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. _Jazz_ was the one who asked."

"Mm..._that's_ interesting. I wonder why..."

"Dude, Daniel. She's nosy—she wants to get to know you better since we hang out a lot."

Daniel laughed. "I see." He gave Danny a wry, apologetic smile. "Unfortunately, I'm booked for a while. I've had to take other people's days so that I could have theirs for extra time off. Sorry. I'll congratulate her later."

Danny looked disappointed. "Oh. Well, that's too bad."

"_You_ wanted me to attend as well?" Daniel asked, hiding his astonishment skillfully.

"Yeah..." Danny looked sheepish, "You would have mocked everything in the ceremony, which would have made it funny, making time spent in the heat pass faster."

Daniel gave his younger self a small smile. "I'm flattered that you find my wit so entertaining. Sorry, though—can't. Apologize to everyone for me."

"Fine. But...how long did you get off?"

"A week. Think that'll be long enough?"

"Probably _too_ long. Me and Sam and Tuck all managed to travel the country in three days."

"By jet-plane and ghost-power. It's a little different on the ground."

"Yeah...I guess. Still. Looks like it'll be lots of traveling...and I won't be able to get back here easy..."

"Danny, _let go._ Valerie will be more than happy to handle everything for a while. You know how much pleasure she takes in hunting ghosts."

"Yeah, but..."

Daniel shook his head. "_You_ need a vacation from ghosts as much as I need a vacation from video games. Take this time to let your parents hunt ghosts while you sit back. Okay?"

Danny hesitated. "I dunno..."

"Danny..."

"Fine, fine. I'll...I'll try."

"Good."

The two walked through the mall at a leisurely pace, neither in a hurry to step out into the summer heat. "How did you get here?" Daniel asked, looking at Danny. "You can't drive."

Danny smiled sheepishly. "Um...I kinda..." he pointed upwards and Daniel laughed.

"I see. Well, you get to take public transportation with me this time."

"Amity Park has public transportation?"

"It's minimal, but it exists. It's too far to walk to where I live, I can't fly—"

"You can't fly?"

Daniel shrugged. "I suppose the better way to put it is that as I feel that my abilities would be better left undiscovered, so flying is out of the question, and teleportation is also probably not the best of ideas."

"You can _teleport_?" Danny half-exclaimed.

"Yes…"

"How?"

"Well…" Daniel paused and thought. "It's a little hard to explain. In order to do it, I have to have been to the place before, be able to picture it _exactly_ in my head and have enough energy to cover the distance. So, it would be _easy_ for me to get to my apartment from here, or to your house, or the arcade, but I wouldn't be able to go to Samantha or Tucker's house, since I've never been there before."

"Can't you just make a leap in the dark?"

"Well, yes, but it's always dangerous. I've done it before, but that was only under…well, the circumstances were special."

"Oh?"

"You want to hear the story?" Daniel asked, a small smile on his lips.

"Of course! I hear _nothing_ about your life before you came here."

"Fine." Daniel sighed and looked up at the sky through the mall's skylight. "Later, though. It's not really a story I care to tell where people may overhear."

"It has something to do with…?"

"Yes, it does. My illness permeates every facet of my life. It's…annoying, how much of an impact it has."

Danny's shoulders slumped slightly, and Daniel gave his younger self a small smile before ruffling his hair a little too roughly, making the teen glare up at him. Daniel gave him a grin. "Relax, Danny. I've gotten used to it by now—no need to feel bad about it." The two walked in silence for a moment before a thought struck Daniel. "Oh, right. Danny, how well do you know the ghosts of the Ghost Zone?"

"Well enough, why?"

"I've caught wind of a ghost that's been shaking up the Ghost Zone and is the reason for there being so few ghost attacks lately."

"Oh?"

Daniel nodded. "I only have a little to go on, but...do you think if I describe it you'll be able to guess who it might be?"

"I'll try. I've come across most of the important ghosts."

"Fine. Well, from what I've _heard_, its body is that of an adult male, it has silver/white flame for hair, blue skin. As for the clothes it's wearing...skin-tight white/black scheme, white cape with a black inside, slightly tattered at the edges, perhaps...Danny, what's wrong?" Daniel asked, worried at how pale Danny had become.

Danny swallowed visibly, and looked up at Daniel. "Did...do you know what his face looks like?"

Daniel closed his eyes and frowned, examining the ghost's memories again. "I...I don't know. Where I got my information only saw him obliquely. Why?"

Danny licked his lips. "I...I _might_ know him. But...how would he have gotten loose?"

"'Gotten loose'?" Daniel repeated as they stepped outside into the muggy heat.

"Yeah. I...if it is who I _think_ it might be...we fought and I just barely caught him in the Thermos. He disappeared after that...I think Clockwork might've taken the thing with him."

"And Clockwork is pretty good about keeping a low profile and staying out of things. I only _recently_ met him," Daniel groused. "I had thought he was a fairy tale among ghosts."

"You've met him?"

Daniel blinked, sighed inwardly, then nodded. "Yes, I met Clockwork."

"How?"

"Part-ghost, Danny. I'd run into him at _some_ point in time." Daniel ran what he said over in his head again and sighed. "No pun intended."

"'No pun..' oh. I see." Danny snorted and shook his head.

"Anyway. Who is the ghost?" Daniel said, bringing the conversation back to its original topic.

"The ghost...? Oh. Oh, right..." Danny's voice became quiet and a pained look settled on his face. "Remember what I told you about the CAT and the Nasty Burger and everything...?"

Daniel stopped walking as they reached the bus stop, glad that so few people were around. "Yes, why?" he asked, looking at the younger half-ghost.

"Well..." Danny sighed and his voice dropped even further. "When Vlad separated my ghost half and I took over his...well, my appearance changed...and when I met myself it was when I had ten years to grow older..."

"So you met an evil, 25 year old, full-ghost self? And he looks more or less like the ghost I'm describing?"

Danny nodded slowly. "Yeah."

Daniel rocked back on his heels slightly, thinking, a little confused. _So. This...evil other that Danny locked away has somehow been freed...wait. Why did I think 'freed'? That implies someone let it out._

"Danny, do you have any enemies that hate you enough to get past Clockwork and let this thing loose?"

Danny paled, then shook his head. "Definitely not. Even _Vlad_ has a better sense of self-preservation...that and I don't think he knows it exists. Really..._no-one_ should know it exists except me and Clockwork. I...I'm not even certain Sam and Tuck know about him. They _met_ him, but I think they think that he was left in the future and that I came back with them. I never really asked them about what happened then..."

"Something to look into."

"_They_ wouldn't release him, though. They're my _friends_."

"Which means that they're all the more likely to betray you."

"What?!" Danny exclaimed, turning and looking at Daniel almost fast enough to give himself whiplash.

Daniel shrugged. "Maybe I haven't had all that many good friends since the day that mine died. Not that I'm terribly surprised by that, considering my financial and social situation. But...any friend I _thought_ I made has always turned around and shown me that they aren't worthy of my trust." He gave Danny a small smile. "If you want to know, the only person who knows more about me than you do is my foster father. You're my first _real_ friend in, oh, 2 years or so."

"Seriously?"

"Danny..."

"Sorry. Reflex question. But...you've had _no_ good friends?"

Daniel paused. "There _was_ one person, but I killed her."

"WHAT?!"

Daniel winced. "Okay, okay, I didn't _really_ kill her, but I _did_ let her die when I might have been able to do something to prevent it."

"Oh?"

Daniel sighed. "Okay, _this_ is a story I don't mind telling because, well, no-one will believe me if they overhear."

"Why?"

"Danny, people can be quite thick. I bet you that there are still some residents of Amity Park that believe that all the ghost activity is just some elaborate hoax."

"You're _kidding_ me."

Daniel smirked and shook his head. "Nope."

Danny frowned. "I can't believe that..."

Daniel shrugged. "The force of the human mind is something to be reckoned with."

"So, what's the story?"

"She was a classmate of mine. She was...she was the one person who didn't immediately try to _use_ me. All the people I went to school with came from wealthy, important households, but my father trumped them all. So, their parents told them to get in my good graces, see if I could do anything for them, make connections. No-one bothered to see me for who _I_ was. However..."

Daniel sighed. "God, I haven't even told my father this," Daniel murmured, smiling faintly. "Anyway," Daniel looked down at the pavement, eyes unfocusing. "Her name was Sarah. She was...what _wasn't_ she? Kind...compassionate...supportive. But she wouldn't let me lean on her for everything—she forced me to stand on my own. She provided everything that I _craved_ at that time in my life. A safe haven of sanity in an existence that I was completely unsuited for."

Daniel sighed and looked up, eyes still focused on the misty past. "Of course, nothing that good lasts for long in my existence." He ran a hand through his hair before continuing, "I told her about my dual nature, and she was thrilled that I would trust her with that."

"Did you also tell her about...?"

"No, no, I didn't mention my sickness. At that point, my first break was still a _very_ fresh wound in my mind, so I didn't want to even _think_ about it. In any event, she helped me heal, if only slightly, by reintroducing the concept of fairness and justice and good into my life. She helped me fight ghosts, sometimes. She was a very sheltered individual, but quite vivacious."

Daniel sighed gustily and ran a hand through his hair. "Of course, that was until I let her die."

"How?"

"I had brought her to the Ghost Zone with me, just to show her around, you know, see the sights courtesy of the Infini-map."

"You know about that?"

"Yeah—I'm friends with Frostbite. Therefore, I know the Ghost Zone almost inside-out. Of course, it's ever expanding, so there's always something new to discover...that's not important right now, though." Daniel took a deep breath. "We were traveling. I wanted to show off. I got into a battle that I thought I would be able to win hands-down, but...well, I didn't count on the ghost bringing friends _nor_ on them going after the human I was obviously caring for. Mostly they passed harmlessly through her—humans are ghosts in the Ghost Zone, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Good. Anyway, I eventually won and she was appropriately impressed." Daniel was silent for a long moment before he continued, "However, she somehow got pushed into a natural Ghost Portal, and even though I dived in after her...well, we were in the human world and she was _very_ much vulnerable." Daniel shook his head slowly. "She broke."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that her back and neck met stone. Guess which survived."

"Ouch."

Daniel's face grew tight. "At least it was quick. Snap and gone. She probably didn't even feel any pain. Still...my fault. That broke my faith in my ghost abilities. I've actually used my ghost powers more since I came here than I did in the past two years at home."

"You haven't told _anyone_ what happened? Didn't her parents ask questions?"

"They wouldn't have believed me. There was no evidence, the last place she was seen was listening to music in her room...for all intents and purposes, she vanished off the face of the planet." Daniel smiled sadly. "And I was the one who let it happen."

Danny bit his lip. "I..."

Daniel shook his head. "Don't say anything. It's just another wound—old, not worth revisiting. In any event, I learn things the hard way, often only after repeated experiences. One of them being that it wasn't worth my time or effort to try and help people. I need them—that doesn't mean that I was required to assist them in anything other than school projects."

"_That_ might be why you don't have any good friends."

Daniel shrugged. "Problem is that they are out for the same thing. Lose/lose situation."

"Man, the more I hear about your life the less attractive being rich is."

Daniel smiled faintly and guided his younger self onto the bus that came to a halt before them with the screech of brakes badly in need of repair. "Being wealthy is heavily romanticized. People think, 'Oh, if only I were rich life would be _so_ much easier.' Thing is, it isn't. It has as many problems as being 'normal' does...just exaggerated because you constantly have people trying to pry into your life," Daniel finished with a rather bitter tone to his voice.

"You've had to deal with people prying?"

"Oh, _yes_," Daniel murmured coldly. "Far, far too often."

"Yikes."

Daniel paused as they sat down after letting all the previous passengers off, taking a seat close to the door. "What are we going to do about that ghost, though?"

Danny bit his lip at the reminder, eyes briefly haunted. "I…don't know. Prepare, I guess. Could you teach me how to teleport?"

"Why don't I teach you duplication first?" Daniel responded. "It's very, _very_ useful and easier to learn than teleportation."

"I've been trying for _forever_ to do that. Ever since I first saw Plasmius do it."

Daniel ruffled the younger half-ghost's hair gently. "Sometimes you need guidance to learn something—it doesn't matter if it's equations or ghost attacks."

Danny smiled slightly and nodded. "I guess."

"Now that you're free we have more time. When can you meet me to train?"

Danny slouched in the seat and thought quietly.

Daniel couldn't suppress a small smile and he turned to look out the window, and let his thoughts wander. He was enjoying the listlessness when he felt a ghost at the edge of his consciousness. He made sure to cover the wisp of cold with a small cough, earning him a small, concerned look from Danny. "You okay?"

"What, I'm not allowed to cough?" Daniel asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Danny frowned. "Jeeze, just concerned is all!"

Daniel chuckled softly and shrugged. "You need to learn to relax when it comes to me. It's still _far_ too easy to get you riled."

Daniel yelped when he felt ghostly talons curl around his shoulders and was even more surprised when he was forced invisible and intangible, the bus, people, and Danny's hand all passing through him harmlessly as he was dragged away through the ceiling and out into the open air.

He gasped as he was pulled upwards, and fought against the need to pry whatever was holding him up away, transform into his ghost form, and kick whatever ghostly ass had the nerve to attempt to abduct him.

However, he knew the feel of the ghosts he was being carried by and couldn't entirely help but wonder what Vlad/Plasmius (he didn't know which it would be he met) wanted with him, so refrained from destroying _these_ vultures for the time being. Eventually they reached what appeared to be a cabin in the woods—far from any prying eyes, and therefore quite safe for whatever devious experiments the man might concoct.

He and the vultures phased through the house until they reached the basement laboratory, upon which Daniel was released to go tumbling across the floor, wincing as his body absorbed the damage unhappily. He managed to end up on his back, watching the room spin slightly and sat up when he heard barely-there steps coming towards him.

He looked up and his eyes fell on Plasmius. His eyebrows shot up, reacting appropriately to the ghostly form.

"What the _fuck_?" Daniel demanded, voice sullen and angry with a touch of fear. "Why the _hell_ did you take me away from Amity? I have work soon!" he said, glancing at his watch. He stood up quickly, alarmed. "Ridiculously soon!" He looked for the door, and twitched when he heard Vlad say,

"How will you get back to Amity Park when you don't even know where you are?"

"I'll figure something out," Daniel growled, and started looking for anything that might be useful as transportation. Not that Vlad actually _needed_ it—the man was usually more than content in using his ghost form to get around the Ghost Zone and all sorts of private chauffeured vehicles to get around the human world.

"Aren't you curious as to why I had you brought here?" Vlad asked and Daniel gave him a dismissive glance.

"No, not really," he replied, distracted with poking at something that appeared promising. "I just want to get out of here."

He felt a hand roughly grab his shoulder and Daniel turned with the pull before landing a solid hit to the half-ghost's sternum, sending him staggering back, obviously surprised at Daniel's reaction.

Daniel sighed and ran a hand through his hair. _Where does he keep the keys?_ Daniel turned away from what had shown to be not helpful _at all_ and began to paw through the shelves and cupboards.

"What are you doing?" The older half-ghost asked him in an angry, demanding wheeze.

"Trying to find a way out," Daniel answered absently, picking up something that looked like it may be a key, turning it over in his hands.

_Not the right build for a car key. Damnit, where did he hide them from me at home?_ He put it down and just barely dodged an ectoplasmic beam from an irked billionaire half-ghost. "What the _fuck_?" he snarled. "That would've _hurt_!"

"That's the _point_," Vlad said dryly. "Now that I have your attention, though, we have something we need to talk about, and I'd rather not have to resort to physical violence to get you to pay attention."

Daniel snorted. _When _haven't_ you done that?_ "Fine, what do you want?" Daniel asked shortly, glancing back down at his watch and sighing. _Well, I'll have an interesting story to tell Mark. 'Sorry I'm late for work—I was abducted by a ghost.' Thing is, he'll believe it._

"Where did you get this picture?" Plasmius asked and tossed Daniel a photograph that he caught easily.

He looked at it impassively—it was one part of the blackmail package he had surrendered to Vlad. He had convinced a ghost to infiltrate Vlad's house, taught it how to use a camera, and told it to take a picture when Vlad was changing out of his ghost form into his human one or vice versa. It was actually a good shot—enough that Daniel had actually let it and its friends he had captured live. Daniel had a few other pictures of various incriminating natures, from newspapers, tabloids, magazines, college and high school yearbooks, and those courtesy of ghosts or humans. He had simply picked the one that would have the greatest impact to slide into the folder.

Daniel's eventual reply was a shrug. "I have my ways."

Vlad's eyes narrowed. "Really now."

Daniel gave him a smug, secretive smile that he knew would irritate the man—it always worked on _his_ Vlad, so he was almost certain that it would have the same effect on this one.

Daniel was pleased when it did. The man's eyebrow twitched and he frowned, giving Daniel a dark glower. "You will tell me how you did that," Vlad said, gesturing to the photograph.

Daniel tapped the photo against his lips and gave Vlad a sidelong look that was pure mischief. "No."

"_No?_" Vlad repeated, surprised and obviously angry.

"No," Daniel repeated, a smile growing on his face.

"_Must_ we do this the hard way?"

"Depends," Daniel said and looked at the photograph again. "If it's any consolation, which I doubt it is, I was surprised to discover that the one Vlad Plasmius that I had heard about time to time was the same as Vlad Masters, mayor of Amity Park and resident billionaire." Daniel's voice was laden with mockery, as if saying: _How come more people don't make the connection?_

Of course, it was harder than with Danny, because Danny still remained with the same hairstyle and build that he always had, while Vlad's entire appearance changed drastically. Not that that would keep Daniel from trying to provoke the older half-ghost. It was always far too much fun.

Vlad was obviously becoming quite angry, and Daniel was relishing in it. It was hard to get _his_ Vlad going because their insult matches and word games tended to have a warped sort of friendly hostility to it these days. As this Vlad _hadn't_ spent the last three years influencing Daniel to become the young man he was, he wasn't prepared for Daniel's unique ability to hone in on all the things that would set the older man off.

"Insolent child," Vlad hissed.

"Now, now, no need to resort to name-calling," Daniel drawled.

Vlad seethed for a moment before regaining his cool. "I'm giving you one last chance to tell me on your own how you acquired that picture."

"What're you going to do if I decline again? There's nothing you _can_ do—if you hurt me or try to silence me, I can, and _will_, expose your secret, your plans, your past to the entire world and there will be nothing you can do to stop me." Daniel said, leaning languidly against a lab table, the very personification of casual arrogance.

Vlad scowled before a thoughtful look formed on his face, which made Daniel uneasy. That look had _never_ meant good things for him.

"Why aren't you scared? Even Danny was when we first met," Vlad said slowly, obviously running something through his head as he thought. Daniel had no doubt about which Danny the man meant.

"I've been around ghosts my entire life and have faced down ones stronger than you will _ever_ be," Daniel told the older half-ghost calmly. "There is nothing you can threaten me with that I haven't heard of before."

"Especially because you don't exist."

Daniel gave the man a disbelieving look. "Um, hello? I'm _right here_. Of _course_ I exist."

"Not according to any government records—and I mean _any_ government. No birth certificate, no social security number, no next-of-kin…it's as if you simply appeared out of thin air."

Daniel laughed. "Dude, where _do_ you come up with these things? You're supposed to be _smart_. People disproved spontaneous generation a long time ago—or did you miss the memo?"

Vlad snorted. "At least you have better comebacks than anyone else I've spoken to in a long time."

"Should I be flattered?" Daniel asked dryly.

Vlad gave him a small, mocking smile. "Of course."

_Ah, now _that_ is the Vlad I know._ "Now, while I'm enjoying this little chat, I really have more important things to do than be held hostage." He looked around the lab for the door and walked briskly towards it once he found it.

He had almost reached the threshold when he nearly fell flat on his face as his left foot refused to move forward.

"What the f—"

He looked down at his foot and scowled when he saw sticky purple ectoplasm keeping his foot pinned and sighed dejectedly when his right one, too, was trapped.

"Look, Vladimir, seriously. How I got the pictures doesn't matter—I have them and no-one will be able to use them unless I give them away, and I won't. I went through too much effort to simply hand them away." Daniel paused and thought. "Unless they pay me a _lot_ of money."

"What's 'a lot' to you?"

"Oh, about 10 billion USD, why?"

Vlad's eyebrows snapped up in surprise. "I would think that someone with your age and economic standing would have a far lower price tag."

"I lived _very_ well before my father kicked me out. I can conceive of many, many zeros behind a 1 because I've _seen_ it and know what it corresponds to. I also know that none of your enemies would be willing to pay what I ask. So, you're safe."

"I would still prefer to have them in my possession."

Daniel gave the man a wicked smile. "Then pay me 10 billion and they're yours."

Vlad sputtered and Daniel laughed. "It's just business, sir. I'm certain you're familiar with the idea."

"What would you _do_ with 10 billion?"

Daniel shrugged. "Dunno. Give it to Danny and Jasmine to pay for their college? Donate to charity? Fuck if I know. I'll probably keep only 1 billion for myself."

"'Danny and Jasmine'? Those wouldn't happen to be the children of Maddie Fenton, would they?"

Daniel shrugged, "Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does," Vlad answered, looking thoughtful. "How do you know them?"

"I never said I did."

"You mentioned Danny and Jasmine."

"But never their last name. I could be talking about someone in a completely different state—perhaps even country. 'Daniel', or, by proxy, 'Danny' is fairly common as boys' names go, myself being such an example."

Daniel had slowly been exercising his power and finally managed to pull his feet out of the muck Vlad had trapped them in. He shook his feet with a small sound of distaste. "Do you know how _hard_ it is to get ectoplasm out of sneakers? No, of course you wouldn't," Daniel finished slightly dryly, almost vaguely bitter.

"You got out?" Vlad asked, surprised.

"So?" Daniel replied and began to walk towards the door again, only to find his way blocked by a copy of Plasmius.

"No _human_ should be able to do so."

"Do I seem to be anything other than that?" Daniel asked, crossing his arms and looked down slightly on Vlad (it had always been an endless source of pride on his part and irritation on Vlad's that Daniel was taller than his foster-father), suppressing his energy signature entirely. He walked around the clone who caught his shoulder, forcing him back in front of him, making Daniel snarl.

"_Stop it_," Daniel growled, making Vlad give him a small smirk that made him want to hit the man. "Look, you just leave me alone fr—you just leave me alone and no-one will get wind of my even _having_ anything on you." He had almost called Vlad 'fruitloop' and if _that_ didn't give away a huge chunk of his connection to the man...well, Vlad was stupider than he thought. "Since I _don't_ have those 10 billion, I need to _work_ to keep myself fed, clothed, housed, and entertained. So if you would _please_ let me out..." Daniel shoved Vlad's clone out of the way, temper waning short.

"What were you about to call me?" Vlad asked softly, voice subtly commanding.

"A rather colorful expletive," Daniel sneered. He turned and finally made his way to the door only to find it locked.

He cursed quite eloquently, earning an amused chuckle from Vlad.

"You can't get out unless you can phase through that door."

Daniel blinked, and a small smirk formed on his face briefly before retuning to being slightly sour. "What are you trying to do, test me or something?" he asked, turning back to face Vlad, leaning against the door, looking quite relaxed, even though his shoulders betrayed the tension he was feeling.

"Do you think so?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. _Keep him distracted just a little longer,_ Daniel thought as his completely undetectable clones worked their way slowly over to all of Vlad's clones as well as the man himself, with another taking out all of the cameras in the room quietly. "Why would you _want_ to test me? I'm nobody."

"I'm not so sure about that. You're quite remarkable, really," Vlad said, looking at Daniel coolly. "The abilities you have shown since you arrived in Amity Park are nothing short of astonishing. Landing on your feet after having been thrown out of your home, finding three jobs—not well-paying, but enough for someone young like you to live off of—and renting an apartment, not to mention taking care of all the little things like electricity, heating, gas, etc...it's extraordinary."

"Looks like someone did their homework," Daniel said dryly, keeping a smile off his lips as everyone got into position. "I'm sure you had a much easier time finding information about _me_, though."

"Oh, it was _trivial_ finding the details of your life as it is now. It's your _past_ that I'm interested in."

"Mm," Daniel murmured and pushed away from the door, sighing and cracking his neck. "Unfortunately, you won't get anything from me. Now, again, I have places I need to be."

Daniel smiled faintly when Vlad's clones were dispelled through shocks of energy from his own clones, a small sigh escaping him once he found that Vlad had been observing from elsewhere, as he thought the man might be.

_And this is why I took care of all of the cameras,_ he thought dryly before closing his eyes and thinking of the trash dumpster behind the arcade, subtly exercising his power.

_Although I think this little interaction will only make him look into me more._ He sighed as his eyes opened upon the familiar scene of his workplace.

"Well, only time will tell," he murmured and walked around to the entrance, already preparing the excuse for his lateness in his head.

--

**Post-note:** Quick question: How does Daniel look in your mind? I've left his apperance deliberately vague so people can form their own image of him. I'm just wondering how others see him. There's no need to answer the question. See you in two weeks. ;)


	13. Encounters

**Author:** Again, I can't express my love for my readers enough, and found your descriptions of Daniel very interesting! I won't tell you how my Daniel looks, though. ;) This chapter took a little more time to complete, but I present it to you, just a day late. Happy Halloween guys!

**Disclaimer**: DP is not mine. Alas.

**Chapter 13**

"Are you alright?"

"Why _wouldn't_ I be alright?" Daniel answered, sinking back into his chair with a sigh.

"Well, I mean, you just disappeared! I had to figure out the bus system all on my own—that wasn't nice," Danny said, standing before him in the arcade, obviously having been stressed out and worried by Daniel's sudden departure.

Daniel chuckled softly and gave the teen an apologetic smile. "Sorry. It wasn't intentional."

"What happened?"

Daniel paused, then shrugged. "I met Plasmius," he said in a bored tone.

"Oh," Danny said at first, not processing what Daniel had said until a moment later. "Wait, _what_?"

Daniel smirked faintly and shrugged. "He wasn't like I thought he would be. He was actually quite pathetic, really."

"What?" Danny asked, obviously baffled. _Pathetic _and _Plasmius_ obviously didn't go together in his head.

Daniel gave his younger self a small smile. "He wasn't intimidating at all. I know he _tried_ to be, but once you live with _my_ father for long enough, most threats fall flat."

"Really?"

Daniel nodded slightly. "It's an experience, living with who I do."

"Oh?"

Daniel smiled faintly. "You want that story I promised you, don't you?"

"Well, _duh_," Danny said with a lop-sided smile.

"Mm-hm," Daniel said and leaned back his head, looking at the dark concrete ceiling. "Well, there's any number of things I could tell you," Daniel said slowly, thinking. "Some stories are obviously better than others. What kind of story do you want to hear?"

"A short one."

"That's a given," Daniel drawled. "I'm no storyteller, and you'll get it in bits and pieces."

"Ah, man. Really?"

"Yes, really, Danny. I have work I need to do, even if _you_ are still procrastinating finding a job."

"Hey!"

Daniel smiled faintly and shrugged. "Let's see. What can I tell you about...?"

-

I'll tell a story about a time after I had stabilized on medication. Admittedly, it's only been recently that I've gotten the illness entirely under my control, so really _any_ story will have that particular thing coloring it.

Alright...

So, remember I was telling you about spending time in Japan because of my father going on a business trip? I'll tell you some of _that_ story. It certainly was interesting, going into a society whose language I had _no_ clue how to speak. I _can_ speak a number of European languages passably. I'm not fluent in anything but English, but I can get by in almost any country...except those in Asia. I was planning on taking Chinese, but after that epidemic, there's no need for me to anymore.

What? Shit. Um...anyway, that's unimportant.

No, Danny, I'm not going to elaborate on that. Do you want me to continue or not?

The plane-ride was brutal, even using the private jet we have—sure, there's more legroom, but that doesn't change the length of time it took to travel.

...I couldn't teleport because I'd never been to Japan before and I didn't want to end up in the middle of the Pacific ocean. Salt water is a _bitch_ on nice clothes. Now are you going to let me tell the story or are you going to keep interrupting? I might decide to _not_ continue...

Fine, fine, _relax._ Where was I?

...right. So, we get there after what seems like an eternity, my internal dialogue keeping me occupied and frustrated the majority of the ride.

What? Oh, _that_. You really want a summation of what that conversation consisted of? Yes, it was a conversation. That's why my diagnosis is what it is. As to what the content...well, it certainly wasn't anything positive. Most of the time they just mock me. I think I have _one_ that is on my side, but I haven't heard from that one in a while. Right now my sickness is completely controlled, so no conversations at all, which is a _relief_. Do you know how hard it is to try and discern what is and is not internal when you're trying to talk with someone?

No, of course you wouldn't. Moving on.

So we get off the plane and the first thing that hits me is how _clean_ everything is.

No, like worse than how clean I keep my apartment. It seems to border on the obsessive…not that I mind. I'd rather be someplace clean.

So, we get off the plane and walk into the airport proper and pretend to stand in line for immigration.

How do you pretend to stand in line? You look like you know what you're doing and slowly work your way up the line until everyone behind you is left going "Didn't they arrive _after_ me?" as you walk away towards baggage claim. It's not as hard as you would think.

So, we get out and meet this posse of Japanese businessmen as well as our translator. There's a lot of shaking hands and bowing and I stay away from it all. I was only brought along so my foster father could keep tabs on me—he didn't trust me with anyone else for a number of reasons, most of them being selfish ones, but I expected nothing less.

I mean that he didn't want someone somehow finding out about my illness and using it and me against him in either the political or economic sphere. Thing is, _I_ didn't trust myself on my own either. I was still _very_ reluctant to take medication. I...I didn't feel like _me_ anymore when I was on it. I felt weak, inadequate. It took three _very_ bad psychotic episodes to convince me that perhaps fiddling with my dosages or simply not taking the medication wasn't the best thing for me.

Sounds stupid, I know, but how would _you_ feel if your mind suddenly turned against you?

...yeah, thought so.

So, I avoid introductions rather skillfully and my father and I walk away with our interpreter.

"So, they're going to talk at us in Japanese and you're going to tell us what they said?" I asked the woman, curious. She _looked_ Japanese enough, but had shockingly bright red hair that I could tell was natural.

Danny, you spend enough time around girls who try _anything_ to augment what meager beauty they may possess and you get good at discerning these kinds of things. I assume she was half-Japanese half-Caucasian. Black hair and blonde hair mixing sometimes comes up with red—and, no, I don't know why.

She nodded and spoke American with a slight Bostonian accent, "Yes, more or less."

"'More or less?'"

"Translation is an art, especially in business."

"Uh-huh. Since I wasn't formally introduced, I'm Daniel," I said and extended my hand as we all waited for a taxi-limo-what-have-you.

"I'm Yoshiko Takeda. It's a pleasure."

We exchanged polite, guarded smiles and a firm handshake before the limo arrived. We all got in and settled down for the ride to our hotel.

Where was I? I didn't say? Tokyo. We stayed at the Grand Prince Hotel, Asakasa. Yeah, it took me a while to get the pronunciation on that right, especially because there's also an Asa_ku_sa. Hey, we have _many_ things that are just as bad. I am eternally grateful English is my mother tongue—I would hate learning it as a second language.

I was relieved to see that most of the signs were in English...or what the Japanese _thought_ was English. Oh, god, they _maul_ English. There are times I have to wonder if they know what their shirts or signs say. An example? Dude, there are far, _far_ too many. I'll show you pictures...wait, my camera's in Wisconsin. _Fuck_. Ah, well. Ever heard of ? Yeah, check that out for examples.

In any case, as we were driven through the crowded streets of Tokyo, Ms. Takeda was kind enough to point out various and sundry things that might hold my interest. She knew my father would be primarily cooped up in meetings and that I would have free time to myself when I wasn't busy with what mundane tasks he set for me.

She mentioned lots of places for me to get lost in: Shinjuku, Akihabara, Ginza, Shibuya, the area surrounding Tokyo Dome, Ueno, Harajuku, and so on. I didn't really want to travel outside Tokyo proper unless my father would be coming with. I was certain he'd find _something_ to do in another of the cities. We were _probably_ going to stop in Kyoto—I didn't want to pass up a chance to see if I could catch any ghosts there. The place _had_ to be crawling with them, or so I thought.

Well, yes, it was, but I wasn't allowed to capture any. I hadn't brought the right equipment, and my dad refused to house a ghost in the hotel room. A missed opportunity...I suppose that next time I travel anywhere I'm packing some gear with me.

Yes, I have my own ghost hunting equipment, but it was all left at the mansion...I always carry my ghost shield generator with me. It's part of my emergency pack, which was all I managed to grab before getting thrown out the door.

So, we get to the hotel and are shown to our room by violently cheerful and painfully polite staff.

Dude, you ever travel to Japan, you'll understand.

So, I start unpacking and—_fuck!_

-

Daniel jumped and his hand yanked his vibrating cell-phone out of his back pocket. "Damnit, I forgot I had turned this thing on vibrate," he murmured as Danny dissolved into laughter, which earned the younger teen a light cuff on the head. "Shut up." Daniel flipped open the phone and sighed. "Ah, man," he murmured. "Do _not_ want."

"What's up?"

"Oh, nothing," he said with a smile and closed the phone, ignoring the call. "But, that actually reminded me—you have to be home. I'll continue later."

"Aw, come _on_. You just got started!"

"Maybe you should ask fewer questions, if you want me to get somewhere," Daniel said with a smirk.

Danny scowled and Daniel chuckled. "You'll have me captive soon enough."

"What?"

"The trip."

"Oh. Oh, _right_."

Daniel chuckled softly. "Yeah. So, you'll have me cornered—I can tell you all kinds of stories, if you want me to...maybe even some ghost stories."

"What kind of ghost stories?" Danny asked, mildly intrigued.

"You'll see," Daniel murmured with a smug, secretive smile and motioned the younger teen to depart. "Now, get back home. We'll be seeing each other soon enough."

There was a bare-bones farewell and Daniel smiled faintly as he watched younger half-ghost leave. After a moment, he gave an inaudible sigh and looked at his phone.

_Why would _he_ call me?_ He wondered and opened the phone, looking at the number. _At least, I _think_ I know who this is. _

He looked at the phone for a moment longer before going to the received calls menu. His finger hovered over the 'send' button, he running possibilities through his mind before shrugging. _Only one way to find out what he wants._

Daniel pressed the 'send' button, held the phone up to his ear, and listened in something akin to trepidation as he waited for the person on the other end to pick up.

--

"_Damnit,_" Daniel snarled once he was safe in his apartment and threw the phone onto his couch, face tightening as he set his bag down. "God _fucking_ damnit." He began to pace, tension wound up in his entire frame. "It's not like he can _do_ anything to _me_," he growled, absently picking at his fingers. "Well, he can, but I don't really care. But he _can_ do something to Danny. I kept him out of the conversation entirely, but the frootloop is too fast to not make the connections, considering what he's done with the few interactions we've had."

Daniel sighed gustily and shook his head, self-disgust flitting across his features. "I _thought_ I had taken out all the cameras, but the man's walls are fucking _crawling_ with bugs of both the mechanical and natural kinds."

Daniel worried at his lip, eyes focusing on nothing. "So he knows you have non-human powers, Daniel. Knows a _lot _more about you than you're comfortable with. But, what can he do?" He stood still in the middle of his apartment, looking at the ghost-shield generator near his door. "He can throw ghosts at you. He knows where you live, but he doesn't know you have your room shielded. At least, I don't _think_ he does." He turned on his heel and began to rearrange his furniture just to give his body something to do.

"He'll find _that_ out the minute he sends something, though. He'll ask questions about why his minions can't get in. But I _refuse_ to let my shield down. The barrier is...important."

He paused to catch his breath after having picked up and carried one of his chairs to a different corner of the room. "He can throw the government at you. The GIW would be more than happy to get their hands on you, since the 'ghost-boy' has been so elusive. Having another one to poke at would be a godsend." Daniel paused. "Thing is, the guy's an ass, but I think he's too intrigued by you to hand you over until he has full knowledge of you."

Daniel pulled the table perpendicular to what it was originally like and sighed. "He could go after your co-workers? No, he wouldn't. He _knows_ that you wouldn't care. He also promised that he would keep out of Mark's life, and you're holding him to that. So, you're not vulnerable work-wise? No, no, of _course_ you are. You could lose your job at ING or the electronics store. Mark knows you well enough that he'd be able to tell if there was someone pretending to be you."

"Thing is, the frootloop knows that _you_ are equally dangerous." Daniel murmured before lightly biting his knuckle. "You _do_ happen to know little things about him that no-one else possibly could. Still..."

Daniel paused to pick the cheap TV off of its table before moving table, then replacing the TV. "He might try to go after your personal files." A small smirk spread across his face at that thought. "He can try. I hope he's got good anti-virus software if he tries. It'll wipe his hard-drive and fry anything connected to it, not to mention going after any computers in the same network." Daniel had learned to be quite thorough when keeping his and Vlad's electronic information safe.

"He could go after me bodily, but I think he's too lazy to do that and if I keep my ghost-signature suppressed, not even Skulker's best technology would be able to find me. That this Vlad also can't feel half-ghost signatures is a plus. Then again, I've never met any half-ghost who can feel another—even _my_ father can't."

"Then, what? My finances? No, he wouldn't care enough to drag me down that way. I also think he sees me as an experiment. See how far I get on my own."

Daniel rearranged the two chairs around his kitchen table. "That leaves Danny and his family as his potential targets to get at me. However, _this_ man is still absurdly in love with Maddie, so he won't do anything to hurt _her_, or even her children, since it would turn Maddie against him. No, he tends to just go after Jack." Daniel smiled wryly. "To think you're referring to everyone by first-names. Tells you how much you've changed." Daniel paused. "I wonder why he doesn't make the connection that if he hurts Jack that Maddie will be equally, if not more, unhappy with him? Murder really doesn't endear one to the murdered person's relatives."

Daniel sighed and looked at the new arrangement and shrugged. No better or worse than before. "Well, there's one thing I know for certain," Daniel said as he picked up his cell phone and programmed the billionaire's number into his phone. "He and I will always be dangerous to the other. I still have the _smallest_ of upper hands,but its not near as wide as a gulf as I wish it were."

_At least I think that he doesn't know I'm a different Danny. He doesn't know that, in another timeline, __he's my father. Those are perhaps the two most dangerous pieces of information he could ever obtain. That's not anything out of the ordinary, though—I'm keeping that a secret from _everyone_. At least, until Danny figures it out on his own. _

Daniel sighed as he connected the phone to the charger. "Well." He ran a hand through his hair and looked out his window, a small smile on his features. "It's business as usual between us again, isn't it frootloop? Eternally wary of each other, seeking to keep our secrets from the other and utterly failing." Daniel laughed. _But he's not _my_ Vlad,_ he thought, walking towards his bedroom, and the briefest waves of homesickness washed over him_._

_I'm going to have to watch my step around him even more than I already do. This means that if I ever need to help Danny against him, I really _will_ have to keep to my stealth tactics. I'm still very, very grateful that he hasn't figure out how to see through invisibility, and pray that my Vlad will be the only one who ever acquires _that_ particular skill._

Daniel's ghost sense went off and he coughed into his hand to hide the familiar wisp of cold air, just in case. He couldn't _see_ anything, but he _felt_ something might be around. It was _familiar_, where had he felt it before...?

A malignant smirk formed across his face and he chuckled darkly. "A good dog always seeks out its Master," Daniel murmured to himself, voice laced with dark amusement. He walked over to the window, opened it, and briefly parted the ghost shield, extending his hand out of the window.

He felt a larger hand tentatively wrap around his wrist and Daniel pulled in towards him, bringing the ghost in before letting the shield snap back into place.

Once inside and safe, the ghost dropped its invisibility and Daniel smirked, his hand lightly brushing the shoulder of the kneeling form before him, allowing it to relax, before Daniel walked over to his armchair, looking at the new occupant of his room as he sat.

"Come here," he said softly, and the ghost was immediately at his side. "Tell me what has been happening, both in _this_ Ghost Zone and the one we both come from."

"Yes, Master," the ghost replied quickly. It knew what would happen if it didn't obey immediately.

"Our Ghost Zone is nearly entirely empty. All that's left of it is energy and a few stray ghosts. The human world isn't faring much better—war, disease, natural disasters. Billions of people have died. They've been calling it the End of Days." A pause. "It is, isn't it, Master?"

Daniel was silent for a moment, thinking. "From what I can gather, our time is being absorbed into this one, meaning that, really, our world is indeed ending. Hm...I'm glad I'm not there, pet," Daniel murmured, his hand lightly tracing the strong lines of the ghost's face. "I'm also pleased that you found your way back to me," he purred softly. He paused, frowned, then jerked on the ghost's jaw, forcing it to look up at him. His eyes narrowed and his thumb traced a cut. "You were hurt."

"I-It was nothing!" the ghost cried, slightly panicked.

"I thought I told you that you weren't allowed to get hurt," Daniel said, eyes narrowing. "I won't let anything that is_ mine_ be weak. We've had this discussion before, pet."

"I'm sorry! It won't happen again!"

"It better not," Daniel replied coldly. "I trust you remember last time you broke the rules."

The pale ghost became, if at all possible, even paler. "Yes, Master. I remember."

"Good," Daniel purred. "Now, tell me how things are in _this_ Ghost Zone."

The ghost's face grew stony, angry. "Completely lawless. Ghosts are allowed to come and go as they please, and that _other_..." the ghost's voice descended into a growl, "he's the worst of the lot."

"Tell me about this...other," Daniel murmured as he stood, the ghost immediately on his feet as well, following just a step behind.

"He's unknown to me, which means he isn't from our time; however, he is equally unknown in _this_ time. No-one knows where or when he came from, or what he's even doing here. So far as I can tell, he has been unable to get out of the Ghost Zone, but is looking for a way out—in order to kill someone."

"Any whispers as to whom?" Daniel asked, taking out the few things he would need to make himself a meal.

The ghost hovered uneasily at Daniel's elbow, uncertain if he should be doing anything to help.

Daniel smirked faintly and turned to face his pet. "At ease, sheriff. Keep on talking. Who is this ghost looking for? What is his name? Do we know why he wants this person, be they human, ghost, or otherwise, gone?"

The ghost hesitated for a moment longer before perching on one of the chairs, watching his Master carefully, obviously hanging on every moment for a clue as to what Daniel may have in store. He paused for a moment longer before speaking again, "Phantom—that's the only thing that I've heard him call himself or be called. As to who he is...he's..." he hesitated again and Daniel's eyes narrowed.

"He's _what_?"

"Strange," the ghost replied hurriedly. "He's strange. Like you, he has the D symbol on his chest, but the coloration and patterning is wrong. His facial features are also more like those of your esteemed father than yourself, Master. Red eyes, blue skin, fanged teeth, pointed ears."

Daniel's eyes narrowed. This was a more complete description of Danny's evil self than he had ever had before—he'd have to check with Danny about the name and remnants of his facial features.

"Who is he looking for?" Daniel asked, unwrapping leftovers from the dinner of the day before.

"I don't know."

"You don't know."

"I've been trying—really, I have, Master, _please_ don't be angry. I knew you'd ask that question, so I did as much...searching...as I could. I've narrowed it down females. Any feminine ghost has either been killed, is in hiding, or has escaped into this world."

"And why does Phantom want these killed?"

"As a precautionary measure."

"You're certain about that one."

"Yes."

"Do you know what it's to prevent?"

The ghost hesitated, looking distinctly nervous. "No, Master."

"No," Daniel repeated in a dead-pan. "That's not acceptable, pet, and you know it."

"I'm sorry, Master!" the ghost said and was on his knees, supplicant. "Please, let me go back, get more information. Give me another chance to be of use to you."

Daniel smiled gently as he walked over to the ghost before backhanding him, sending the ghost sprawling backwards. "I shouldn't _need_ to give you another chance," he said softly, ice in his voice. "You are to get things right _the first time._ I have no use for incompetence, and will not tolerate it."

"Of course, Master. I understand, Master."

"You certain?" Daniel asked, pulling the ghost roughly back onto his feet.

"Yes, Master."

"Then this is what you are to do: are you listening, pet?"

"Yes!"

"You are to go back into the Ghost Zone. You are to _not_ get hurt. When you return to me, you will be able to tell me, in detail, where and when this Phantom is from, who he is searching for, why he is searching for her. You will also be able to report on all the Major Players of this time—including this time's version of yourself."

Daniel paused before fixing his eyes on his pet's, making the ghost shrink back slightly under the intensity of the gaze. "You will not even entertain thoughts of rebelling against me based on what you see this world's you doing. You are _mine_, and you are to _never_ forget that," Daniel finished in a snarl, and the ghost's hand darted to the too-tight collar around his neck.

"Remain unseen. I don't need your appearance making people look into either you _or_ me. And remember, no matter how hard you are pressed, you will not tell anyone _anything_ about myself or my father. I believe you remember that particular lesson quite well," Daniel said, eyes narrowing, his gaze pointed at the ghost's gloves.

The ghost shuddered. "I remember, Master."

"Good," Daniel said softly. "Just one more question, before you leave—how is Vlad doing?"

"Your father is flourishing," the ghost said, watching his Master make his dinner.

"Mm. What does that mean?"

"He has taken advantage of the chaos."

"Ah, he _would_, wouldn't he? He will survive the transition, definitely. Someone that wicked will never truly die," Daniel finished in a murmur.

Daniel turned away from his microwave and looked at his pet before frowning. "Strip. You seem too thin. You know that you're supposed to take care of yourself."

The obedience was immediate, and Daniel looked his pet over. There were the marks of the effort it took to break the ghost, tangible reminders for both Master and pet, that made Daniel smile, remembering how each was inflicted that resulted in a cowed, submissive, obedient Walker that was vicious to all but he and his father.

"You _are_ too thin," Daniel growled, making the ghost tense. Daniel walked over and placed a hand over the ghost's core and let some of his own energy flow into the pale ghost, replacing all that the sheriff had lost in the transition from one time to the other. "Don't you _dare_ make me do that again," Daniel snarled, and the ghost shrank away before nodding emphatically.

"Of course, Master. I would never think to. Thank you."

Daniel sneered. "You _should_ be grateful. Now, go. The people here do not know that I am who I am, so you are to contact me only when I am alone or when they will be unable to see you. Now, repeat to me your objectives."

Walker did so flawlessly, making Daniel nod and smirk faintly. "Good. Remember the rules, pet," he purred and opened the window for the sheriff again, who turned invisible and slipped into the dusk, Daniel able to sense him for a while before the ghost disappeared into the Ghost Zone.

_I'm glad my pet is here,_ Daniel thought as he closed the door and replaced the shield. _He will be able to keep track of this Ghost Zone while I worry about the human world._

Daniel smiled dangerously and went back to making his dinner, humming a bubble-gum pop tune that was popular in _his_ time but was yet unknown in the one he was living in now, the Ring of Rage glittering on its chain around his neck, a constant, palpable reminder of his authority in his home Ghost Zone.

--

Daniel's face was full of dark good humor as he looked at his younger, former self who was staring at the clone he had made.

"All I really have to do is ruffle your feathers—then you're determined to prove me wrong," he said, amusement lacing his voice. After two days of getting nowhere in Danny's training, Daniel decided to do what he does best—be a pain in the ass—and it ended up in Danny actually absorbing the lesson, much to Daniel's chagrin.

Danny blinked and scowled slightly before dispelling the clone. "Being able to piss me off isn't something to be proud about. I swear, sometimes you're worse than the frootloop."

Daniel snickered softly. "Well, _I_ think that if it gets you to learn the skills I want you to, it's not too bad, hm?" Daniel sat on one of the lab-tables in the Fenton's basement and gave his younger self a look.

Danny shifted. "I guess."

Daniel leaned back on his hands and cocked his head to the side. _Should I ask him now?_

"Hey, Danny. I got some more information on the ghost that's been running amok in the Ghost Zone."

"What? Seriously?" Danny looked distinctly uneasy.

"Yeah," Daniel said. He cloned himself, although he kept the clone invisible. "I'm going to make a copy of him. Granted, it won't be _exactly_ alike—when I shape-shift my coloration unfortunately stays."

"You can shape-shift?"

"In a fashion," Daniel replied vaguely. He built up the picture of the ghost he had received from his pet and the various other sources he'd questioned. Once he was certain he had gotten it as best as possible, he let the invisibility fall on his clone.

Danny yelped and took a few steps back, power gathering around him.

"Relax, Danny," Daniel said, looking at his clone. "This isn't the real thing. But, you recognize him. He goes by 'Phantom'."

"Crap, he _is_ back," Danny said, a pained look on his face as Daniel dispelled his clone.

"The evil you from ten years in _a_ future," Daniel murmured, looking thoughtful. "If he has yours and Vlad's combined skill set as well as having time to create a few moves neither of you know, we have lots of work to do."

Danny blinked and looked at the clock. "Speaking of work, didn't you say you have to work the entire week?"

Daniel smirked and nodded. "I do. I _am_ working right now."

Danny stared. "Wait, what?"

"I can control my clone from where I am. It's taxing, and is leaving me feeling a little light-headed, but…" Daniel shrugged. "I'd like you to develop your skills as best as possible."

"Then why can't you come to Jazz's graduation?"

"Because, unfortunately, a lot of my co-workers are high-school students, and will be gone for that day. I'll have to do more than just the bare bones of my job." Daniel sighed and scratched his head. "And, again, doing what I am leaves me exhausted."

"We can stop now," Danny said, looking worried.

"Nah, I'll be fine. Now, c'mon. We're going to do a little more practice," Daniel said and a small smirk formed on his face.

"Practice how?"

Daniel grinned and around Danny a number of his enemies formed, obviously focused on the younger half-ghost. Danny was too surprised to notice that the coloration was off, instead opting to clone himself to fight them.

_Once...twice...good. He's finally getting the hang of it,_ Daniel thought as the younger teen fought against Daniel's shape-shifted clones. Daniel knew he would be hurting later from the damage his clones were accumulating, but felt that it would be worth it.

Daniel remembered vaguely how all of the different ghosts fought—there were a number he didn't have to deal with anymore, simply because he'd either gotten rid of them or convinced them, in one way or another, to side with him. It was a strain on him, to keep up so many clones and have them move in so many different ways, but he figured it was good practice for _him_ as well. He wasn't sure what it was practice _for_, but it felt...necessary.

Daniel felt an unfortunate tug at his core that told him he was nearly out of energy, and if he wanted to keep up his clone at the store, he would need to stop fighting with Danny. He also heard somebody coming down the stairs, so he quickly dispelled his clones, surprising Danny.

Thankfully, the only people to show up were Sam and Tucker, making Daniel relax slightly. Having them see Danny in his ghost form wasn't a bad thing, but seeing _him_ exercise his ghost powers was something he still wanted to avoid. He wanted as few people as possible to be able to put together the pieces of his life to form the true picture—therefore, he rarely used is powers when outside battle or where people could potentially see him.

"Guys!" Danny and his clones cried in unison, nursing a few hurts, both which surprised the two other teens.

"Danny, you know how to _clone_ yourself now?" Tucker asked, jaw dropping slightly.

Danny blinked then grinned. "Yup," he chirped.

"That's great!"

The teens converged, leaving Daniel to observe them. He felt a pang of loneliness that he ruthlessly squished.

_You know that you don't have any friends, Daniel,_ he told himself. _Not among humans, not among ghosts, and you know _why_ you don't have any. _

Danny looked down at his arm, the scar a testament to his first break and sighed. _You_ can't_ have friends because of _who_ and_ what_ you are. The only reason you've trusted Danny as much as you do is because he's _you_...and because, irrationally, you still have this odd hope that you're not too far gone to redeem. _

Daniel shook his head slightly. _Although with your pet finding you, you've been reminded that you _are_ beyond redemption. _

"Daniel?"

Daniel was brought out of his musing by Danny in his personal space. Daniel blinked and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, why?" he asked, sliding off of the lab table. "Samantha, Tucker," Daniel said, giving them a pleasant smile. "It's always a pleasure to see you."

"It's weird seeing you here," Tucker confessed, "since I've only ever seen you at your apartment or the arcade."

Daniel shrugged. "I don't get out much. I'm trying to save up money so that I can afford leisure time at some point. Right now, as I'm starting from basically zero dollars, I've had to work hard."

It was a lie—he had brought 10,000 with him, but it had dwindled alarmingly quickly. That he basically had to pay full price for his medicine and doctor's visits also took a huge chunk out of it. He was on his way to getting health insurance, though.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked.

"Helping," Daniel replied, giving Sam a pleasant smile. "What, am I not allowed to?" he asked, seemingly concerned, although the wicked gleam in his eye said otherwise.

"How can you help Danny?" she asked.  
Daniel shrugged. "I have a little experience with ghosts myself—I know a few tricks that Danny might find useful."

Danny gave him a brief quizzical look before nodding. "Yeah," he affirmed with a smile. "He has a different way of doing things, that's certain."

Daniel snickered. _Oh, if only he knew _how_ different._ "My primary contribution has been in his physical fighting department," Daniel said, crossing his arms lightly. It was true—cloning helped tons when fighting an enemy physically. He had also been teaching the teen some offensive and defensive fighting maneuvers, but his usefulness there was limited.

"I'm better with energy manipulation," he had told Danny at one point. "Whenever you want to learn those kinds of skills, I'm the best person you can ask."

"Modest, aren't we?"

"Not when I know that I _am_ the best at something," Daniel had replied with a smirk.

Danny _hadn't_ asked, though, so Daniel taught him what he wanted to know and nothing more. _He has to learn _some _things on his own_, Daniel thought.

Daniel was smiling faintly when he suddenly broke into spasmodic coughing, having trouble dragging air into his lungs, and could taste blood on his tongue from how hard he was coughing, falling to his knees.

_I liked the shortness of breath better,_ Daniel thought grimly as the unfortunately familiar feeling passed, leaving him vibrating slightly, hand clutching the cloth over his chest. He had assumed progression from one to the other based upon integration of his time—it was uncomfortable, and he hoped it didn't get any worse. He licked the few flecks of blood that had escaped off his lips before looking up at a surprisingly concerned-looking Sam.

"Sorry," Daniel murmured before pushing himself back standing. "I must be coming down with something."

"Unless it's tuberculosis, I think it's something more than that," Sam stated dryly.

"Have you seen someone with TB before?" Daniel asked skeptically. "And anyway, I don't get out enough to contract it." _She must have seen the blood. That _would_ make her think TB, wouldn't it?_

"Uh-huh," she drawled, making Daniel laugh.

"Ah, Samantha. I see why Danny likes you," he said with a small, oddly sad smile. "I should probably go," he said with a sigh, brushing off his pants. "Think we've done enough training for one day?" Daniel asked, looking at his younger, former self.

Danny smiled and shrugged. "I guess."

"I'll see you later, then," Daniel said and turned to leave. He was stopped in mid-motion by Sam's hand on his elbow.

"What, you don't like us?"

Daniel hesitated. "No, it's not that. It's just..." Daniel sighed softly. "You're _Danny's_ friends. I don't want to interfere."

"You know, we could be _your_ friends, too," Tucker said as he idly played with his PDA, looking up at the older teen.

Daniel blinked, caught speechless. _But you don't know who I _am._ Don't know what I've _done_. Don't know...how sick I am. How wrong, how _evil. He couldn't afford to let himself hope, but his traitorous heart reached out for the offered friendship. _But...I can't._

"Daniel, what's wrong?"

The older teen looked at Danny and cocked his head to the side. "Nothing's wrong," he said and gave the younger teen a small smile. "You know my stance on me and 'friends'."

"Sam and Tuck aren't like that!" Danny replied, walking over to Daniel. "They're _good_ friends. _Real_ ones. You don't have to constantly be on guard, you know," Danny reprimanded, making Daniel laugh.

"Listen, little mother, my trust issues run slightly deeper than that, and you know it. I have nothing against Samantha and Tucker—they're both good friends for _you_. Although you probably still haven't responded to that matter we discussed," he said, eyes flicking briefly to Sam. "Am I wrong?"

"This isn't about me!" Danny replied, flushing slightly.

"You _haven't_? Dear god, Danny, even _I_ know better than to keep someone waiting so long."

"Don't rush me," Danny said slightly sullenly, arms crossed tightly across his chest, curling in slightly on himself.

"I'm not. I _reminding_ you. Have you at least put _thought_ into the answer?"

"What are you guys talking about?" Tucker asked, looking intrigued at the vague banter that the two seemed to understand.

"Nothing," they answered in unison. Daniel gave Danny a sidelong look that made the younger half-ghost lightly punch him, at which Daniel chuckled.

Daniel's ghost sense went off, but he swallowed the cold air, regretting doing so but having no other choice. Shortly afterwards, Danny's ghost sense went off and the Ghost Portal began to glow.

Daniel turned to face it as Danny transformed, an uncomfortable sensation working up his spine. He had a _bad_ feeling about this, and whenever that happened, it usually _was_ quite unfortunate.

Out of the portal stepped the one ghost that Daniel remained fearful of, making him take two steps back, eyes wide. _It _survived?!_ I thought I made certain that would never be able to function again after our last confrontation._

Daniel's eyes darted up to the clock and relief washed through him. _Stall for five minutes and then you can help...if that is what is necessary._

"So you're Danny Phantom?" the ghost drawled, giving Danny a quick once-over. "You don't look like much. You certainly lack the ruthless edge the one I know has. Or had. No-one's seen the creature in years."

Daniel's breath caught in his chest and it had nothing to do with the merging of the times.

_Years? I've been gone for _years?! _Oh, fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck _fuck.

"Let's see how you compare. I doubt you'll be able to beat me, however. He only just managed to."

Daniel had a ugly, long scar down his left side as a reminder of that particular altercation. It still ached dully whenever it was too cold out.

"Who are you?" Danny demanded, energy gathering around his hands.

"Introductions? I suppose it's only fitting to know the name of your executioner, hm?" the ghost said, dark humor in her voice. "My name is Luna. Yours is Danny Phantom, at least in the form you wear now." The ghost gave Danny a feral smile.

"You were talking about another Danny Phantom," Danny said, watching the ghost as she languidly circled him, her deep sapphire eyes focused on the younger half-ghost's form. "That's not possible. There's only _one_ of me."

Luna laughed. "Ah, child. _Anything_ is possible. Even multiple yous. Especially considering what I've seen of that Phantom creature." she gestured flippantly, almost in mild disgust. "It's funny, but the Danny Phantom _I_ know seems somehow more dangerous than either of you. I think it's the...instability. You can always trust the bad guys to do the wrong thing," Luna murmured, coming between Danny and his friends, "and the good guys to try and do their best. But it's the people who tread the gray areas that you really have to look out for. They'll act with the best of intentions before turning around and doing something _truly_ despicable."

Luna sighed happily. "I think that's why I've let the Danny Phantom I know live."

Daniel's eyes flashed in triumph and he called off his clone immediately after it had turned a safe corner to vanish. Daniel looked at Sam and Tucker, then at Danny and sighed inwardly. _Looks like they'll find out about my ghost powers anyway,_ Daniel thought dryly. His heart sagged slightly and his face tightened in pain. _They might get to see me at my worst. Ah, well._

"Enough talk," Daniel whispered almost inaudibly and a malignant smirk spread across his face. He walked over to one of the many machines the Fentons kept in their basement and gave it a look over. He sent clones over to every other weapon in the place, keeping _them_ invisible. Once he had everything set up he caught Danny's eyes and mouthed 'duck'.

Danny did and Daniel and all of his clones pressed every button on every weapon at once. It was nothing short of pandemonium briefly, Danny protecting his friends from stray shots while Daniel stood to the side, completely unruffled as Luna dodged in surprise. Whenever she tried to blast one of the weapons, her shot would either ricochet back at her or another beam from _somewhere_ would knock her aim off.

Eventually, Daniel had to lay off the onslaught, but not before he had decidedly shaken and hurt the one ghost he considered himself on equal ground with (in a fair fight, but Daniel had learned very quickly not to fight fairly).

Her harried eyes focused on him and Daniel gave her a slow, arrogant smile. "Luna, darling, the tousled look is _so_ you," Daniel drawled, leaning against the table.

"Who are you?" she hissed and Daniel laughed.

"Oh, no-one _important._ What brought _you_ here, Loon? Surely you didn't come here just to test a 16-year-old," Daniel drawled, picking boredly at his cuticles.

"We've met before," Luna said slowly, her body tensing.

"_Once upon a dream,_" Daniel sang deliberately poorly. "How could we have? From what I've been hearing, you come from somewhere other than this reality. If I'm living in _this_ one, how could we have met?"

Daniel was good at stalling, at ticking people off so they got sloppy. He was doing both for Danny, giving the teen time to get a grip on the situation while finding a way to keep his friends safe. That it was also giving _him_ time to think of a way to get rid of the Loon without having to worry about showing his ghost powers was an added bonus.

"No, I _have_ met you before," Luna said slowly, hand drifting to her gun.

Daniel waltzed—almost _literally_—up to the ghost and took her hand in his, surprising her as he pulled her close. "You ever heard of 'Sleeping Beauty'? My sister made me watch it over and over and over when we were little. Can't ever get the damn song out of my head now," Daniel murmured. "_I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream," _Daniel began, his singing voice a surprisingly warm tenor as he pulled the ghost forward into a few halting, surprised steps.

"_I know you, that gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam,"_ he continued, pulling the completely baffled ghost along with him, working his way subtly over to the portal.

"_And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem..." _he stopped in front of the portal, hand pressing against the small of her back, pushing her against him._ " But if I know you, I know you'll do—" _Luna attempted to phase through Daniel's hands, but found herself alarmingly unable to, he keeping his hands tightly gripping hers.

"_You'll love me at once, the way you did once..." _Daniel stepped towards her, pressing her back a few more steps towards the portal.

"Upon a dream_,_"he finished in a malignant whisper before dragging some of her energy out of the hands he was holding, making her cry out in shock and pain before he kicked her through the portal and slammed it shut behind her.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "So fucking troublesome," he growled and turned. He blinked at the look he caught the three teens giving him and merely grinned, making Danny shake his head in bemused amazement.

"You are so very, _very_ weird."

"Hey, it worked and no-one got hurt but her."

"_Do_ you know her?"

Daniel shrugged, declining to answer with Sam and Tuck present. "That's irrelevant," he said with a small smile before he looked at the clock. "I should get some food so I don't starve when I'm at the arcade."

"Why don't you come over my place?" Sam offered. "It's not that far from the arcade and I can feed you."

"It'll also give you a chance to get to know me better," Daniel murmured, obviously amused. "Fine. I'll take you up on that offer." Daniel paused and looked at Danny. "I'm sorry I didn't give you the opportunity to fight her and test out your new skills."

"You probably had a reason for it."

Daniel said nothing, but Danny could see the brief flash of haunted memory in Daniel's eyes. "Perhaps. Let's get going, though—I want to see what kind of place you live in," Daniel said, turning towards Sam, giving her a cheerful smile.


	14. Travel

**Author:** First things first--thank you all for reviewing, favoriting, story plus-ing and whatnot. Your encouragement keeps me going. Also, I'm flattered to announce that, out of all my stories, Daniel Masters has the most Favorites and Story Alerts. It gives me immense pleasure to know that people like what I create.

**Disclaimer**: I love Danny Phantom, I really do, but the most of it I own is two T-shirts, one with Clockwork on it and the other with the D symbol. Alas.

**Chapter 14**

"Well, isn't _that_ interesting, pet," Daniel murmured, he sitting at his kitchen table, balancing his checkbook as the pale ghost stood at attention before him. "I never thought he would go after _her_. I am disappointed that you were unable to discover _why_ he wants her dead, though," Daniel said, voice dangerous and soft as he set a piece of paper aside deliberately, the ghost watching every movement Daniel made.

"I'm sorry, Master. I tried, but _no-one_ knows. No-one but him, but I wouldn't dare go near him. There was a high chance that I would get hurt."

"Ah. I see. Pick your battles, hm?" Daniel said with dark humor, looking up at his pet. "Very well. Do we know where she is right now?"

"She's not in the Ghost Zone, Master..."

Daniel paused. "I will let this failure slide. If you cannot locate her, that means that most can't, which means she's safe...for the time being. Tell me—has any ghost besides you managed to cross over?"

"Technus, Ember, and Vortex are the only others to successfully make the transit."

"When next you find them, bring them to me. I wish to..._talk_...with them."

The pale ghost shuddered at the thought of one of Daniel's 'talk's.

"You may use whatever methods you should desire," Daniel said, making the sheriff perk up slightly.

"Any?"

"Yes, pet." Daniel's smile grew vicious. "_Any_."

"_Thank you_, Master."

Daniel shrugged slightly. "You've been a good pet. You should be rewarded for being so obedient." Daniel chuckled at the hungry look on the ghost's face. "Before I dismiss you, though, you are to finish your report—tell me how the Major Players in this Ghost Zone are faring."

"Pariah Dark still exists, although in his captive state," Walker started. Daniel snorted.

"Really, pet?"

"Yes, Master."

"Hm...we will have to rectify that situation soon, won't we?" he said, touching the Ring that rested against his chest.

"Of course, Master."

"Continue," Daniel said, leaning back in his chair. Walker looked sufficiently uncomfortable, enough that Daniel wouldn't allow the ghost to relax.

"Ember and Skulker are in their on-again-off-again relationship. This Skulker has substantially fewer skills than the one that we have captured time and again. It would be _easy_ to stuff this Skulker in one of his own cages and he _never_ have a hope of escaping."

Daniel smiled. "So I thought. And Ember?"

"Planning another tour in the Human World. She escaped the Ghost Zone quickly, as soon as it became apparent Phantom was going after female ghosts."

"Mm. Do you know her location?" Daniel asked.

The ghost nodded quickly. "Of course, Master. She is hiding in Japan."

"Why need I have asked?" Daniel murmured dryly. "Continue."

"The Fright Knight follows Plasmius's orders when he feels like it. There have been rumors of he planning on defecting to this 'Phantom', though."

"He always seeks to serve the strongest," Daniel murmured, a smirk on his face. "You sure he did not survive the transition?"

"Yes, Master."

"Pity. He would have been useful. You may continue."

"Vortex, Undergrowth, Nocturne, and Hotep-Ra are all in the care of the Observants."

Dainel chuckled darkly. _He_ had been in the Observants's care, once, and felt no small measure of schadenfreude over the four ghosts' predicament.

"Prince Aragon has been lying low, although there are rumors that Phantom destroyed him and his family and took over the castle for himself."

"Is there any substance to the rumor?"

"I do not know, Master," Walker confessed with trepidation.

Daniel gave his pet a cold look. "Find out. You know you should have anticipated that question."

"Yes, Master," came the hurried reply. "I'm sorry, Master. Forgive me."

"Maybe. Continue."

"Spectra is in the human world—France—along with Bertrand. The Lunch Lady and the Box Ghost have also made themselves scarce, each existing in a different part of the world—the Box Ghost in Canada, the Lunch Lady in California."

Daniel smirked. "She's in _that_ state? She must be having a fit."

"You are probably correct, Master."

"Continue."

"Kitty has been destroyed. Johnny 13 was also eliminated, trying to protect her."

"No loss there," Daniel said dryly as he placed stamps on a few envelopes. "What of Desiree, Youngblood, and Technus?"

"Desiree is in Scotland. Youngblood is...unfortunately, I have been unable to find him."

"Pet, that's _twice,_" Daniel growled darkly.

"I'm sorry, Master! I know I'm worthless, weak, pitiful, useless."

"You are correct on all points," Daniel said coldly. "Continue reporting—Technus."

"China."

"Plasmius and Danny Phantom."

"Plasmius is as inquisitive as you regarding Phantom. I believe he seeks to make a deal with him, perhaps a partnership."

"He would," Daniel murmured, sealing the envelopes. "Too bad he doesn't know what he's getting himself into. What news of Danny?"

"They say he is getting stronger, improving at a rate not seen previously. No-one is worrying overmuch about him, though—Phantom is taking up most attention."

"Mm. And what of this time's you?" Daniel asked, fixing Walker with an unblinking gaze.

The ghost shifted uncomfortably underneath Daniel's look. "He lacks _control_. I would _never_ let things in the Ghost Zone degenerate to the point that they are at currently. He is too lax."

"Ah. Anyone else I should know about?"

"Pandora has been eliminated. Clockwork is unseen. The Observants are in a near panic. That is all."

Daniel put down his pen and looked at Walker. "Very well. Here is what you are to do: Go into the Ghost Zone and find _our_ Ember, Technus, and Vortex. You are to not be injured. You are to not be seen but by any who know you. You may employ any tactics you so choose—just leave the three whole enough that they will be able to answer questions. I would prefer that you return with one at a time—I do not want to deal with having three angry ghosts on my hands, even knowing that they are of no threat to me; however, should the opportunity arise to capture them all at once, do not hesitate to take it. Should you accomplish these tasks in a timely manner, I may...forgive...your transgressions."

"Really, Master?"

"Perhaps," was Daniel's only answer. "Now, go. And, as always, pet—remember the rules."

Daniel let the ghost out before remaining looking out his window, fingers tracing the curve of the Ring of Rage.

_I've been gone for years_, he thought, face tightening in pain. _Well, there go my plans for college. _He paused and his hand clutched the Ring convulsively. _Crap, how is the frootloop doing? I told him I didn't know how long I'd be away, but..._ Daniel bit his knuckle lightly, surprisingly worried for his foster-father. _I didn't think it would be _years. _I wonder how many have passed…one or two I think he'd be able to deal with, but I don't want to think in terms of decades or longer._

Daniel sighed and let the Ring go, he turning back to his apartment.

It had been a few days since the encounter with Luna and the subsequent interactions with Samantha and Tucker, and the memories still left him smiling faintly.

They had walked—together—to Sam's house. The evening had been clammy, leaving Daniel uncomfortable and unhappy. He didn't dare drop his core temperature with Samantha and Tucker around, as he was pretty sure they didn't know about his abilities as a half-ghost.

"Will I be meeting your family as well?" Daniel asked Sam.

Sam wrinkled her nose. "I hope not."

"Oh? Surely they can't be _that_ bad."

Tucker snickered. "They're, like, polar opposites from Sam."

Daniel raised an eyebrow marginally. "Really now. What do your parents for a living?"

"My mom's a stay-at-home wife," Sam said with obvious disdain. "My dad…" she shrugged. "I don't really care."

Daniel frowned marginally. "Family is important, no matter if you like them or not."

"Then how do _you_ feel about your family?"

"My birth-family or my foster-father?"

Sam blinked. She had obviously forgotten that Daniel didn't have a typical familial situation. "Your foster-father."

Daniel shrugged. "I loathe him. That doesn't mean he isn't _important_ to me."

"Wow. I might not _like_ my parents, but I don't think I _hate_ them," Sam commented after a moment of surprised silence, looking up at Daniel, who gave her a small smile.

"My foster-father and I have an…interesting…relationship."

"If you hate him, why are you living with him? Surely you could find somewhere else."

Daniel's eyes became slightly sad. "No-one else could hope to understand me like he does, the prick. I'm stuck with him because I'd probably be even more miserable somewhere else."

"That sucks."

Daniel shrugged. "C'est la vie." He paused to wipe sweat off his forehead and the back of his neck, frowning in discomfort. "How much longer to your house? This humidity is _killing_ me," he complained.

Sam chuckled slightly. "Not much farther."

"Oh, good."

Daniel fell silent and simply listened to the three younger teens chat about plans for the summer, the end of school, and, to a small extent, ghost hunting. It was fascinating to the older teen—he hadn't had the luxury of simply _talking_ with a friend about nothing in a very long time. Danny was coming close, but there were still a few things Daniel was keeping to himself. There wasn't _total_ trust, not quite yet.

_Perhaps…eventually._

"Here we are," Sam announced, looking back at Daniel.

"Thank _god_," he breathed and ascended the stairs after Sam, entering the blissfully air-conditioned house first.

"Samantha, is that you?"

Daniel turned and looked at the girl who was suddenly hiding behind him.

"Hurry! Don't let them see us!" she hissed.

Daniel smiled and spoke in a whisper, "You have to tell me where to go—I don't know my way around."

"Oh. Right. This way," Sam said before tugging on Daniel's shirt, pulling him over to where he remembered the entrance to the basement being.

The four had nearly reached the door when Sam's mother came out of the adjacent room. There was a brief pause from her at the sight of Daniel with her daughter and her friends. It was a long enough disconnect that Daniel had been dragged down the stairs before any questions could be asked, which he appreciated, although wouldn't say as much.

"I think your mom was surprised by me," Daniel murmured as he allowed himself to be led into the basement proper. He took it all in without blinking and walked over to the large, overstuffed couch, collapsing gracelessly on it with a sigh. "So," he started and looked over at the three teens, "if we can't go upstairs for fear of running into your parents, how are we getting food?" He frowned at the looks the three younger teens were giving him. "What?"

"You're acting like all this stuff is…_nothing_," Sam said, slightly baffled.

Daniel looked around again, frowning slightly. He was about to say, 'I don't see anything out of the ordinary' before he remembered that Sam's house _wasn't_ ordinary. "Oh. Well. See, to me…well, this _is_ nothing. That plasma screen," Daniel said, gesturing idly to the appliance, "it was, what, somewhere between 5000 and 7000 USD, wasn't it?"

"I don't know. I didn't really ask."

"Well, that's my guess. It might be more since it was probably custom-made…anyway. 5000 dollars is _pocket change_ for my father. This kind of affluence was what defined my life before I was thrown out. Aside from the _mansion_ where I live in Wisconsin, we also have residences across the US and throughout the world, and own both a private jet and a yacht."

Even Sam was staring at Daniel, who merely smiled wanly. "You promised me food," he prompted.

"Oh. Right," Sam said, blinking out of her surprise. "We have a fridge down here…"

Daniel stood with a reluctant sigh and walked over to Sam. "Lead the way, my lady."

"What kind of tech do you have? Video games? Computers?" Tucker asked, curiosity piqued. Lots of money could but many things.

Daniel smiled faintly. "Whatever I want. I've been called upon to test a few video games, and got to keep them afterward. I have all the latest systems, as well as a few that aren't on the market yet, maybe never will."

"You have _custom video game systems?!_"

"Oh, just _one_."

"What is it?"

"Virtual reality."

Tucker's jaw dropped. "_Seriously?_"

Daniel smirked. "Of course. I was actually helping perfect it. It probably won't be available to the general public for a little while, though. Need to get the cost of production down."

"What kind of games do you have for it?"

"Oh, what? A shooter, an RPG, a fighting game, and an exercise program."

"Did you develop those?"

Daniel laughed. "Oh, no. I'm no programmer. I'm just a very vocal, opinionated guinea pig."

"What do you want to eat?" Sam asked, interrupting, opening the refrigerator door.

Daniel looked through the fridge and took out a pack of lunchmeat and some cheese. "I don't need anything much," he said by way of explanation. He briskly made a sandwich with some bread he found, and caught Sam observing him.

"What?" he asked.

"You eat the same kind of sandwich Danny does," she stated.

Daniel blinked and looked down at his food, and shrugged. "Really? Guess Danny's rubbing off on me," Daniel said, surprise in his voice. The surprise came from how _observant_ Sam had been—Daniel hadn't thought someone would see a connection between them in something as simple as what kind of _sandwich _he ate. Thankfully, the surprise was interpreted as something else, his lie slipping under the radar. "What are you all planning for the summer?" he asked, changing the topic as he leaned against the counter.

There was a general shrug. "You and I are going on that cross-country trip with my family," Danny said, making Tucker and Sam give him slightly pitying looks.

"Is traveling with them really going to be that bad?" Daniel asked around a mouthful of sandwich.

"It's not going to be _bad…"_ Tucker started.

"It'll just be an experience you won't forget quickly, no matter if you want to or not," Sam finished.

"Uh-huh," Daniel drawled. He looked at his watch and sighed. "I have to go if I want to get to the arcade with some time to set up. You three can always feel free to visit me there, should you care to," he said as he brushed the crumbs off of his shirt and hands. "I'll ninja out of the house," he told Sam, giving her a small smile. "Your family won't catch me. You guys just stay here, enjoy the air conditioning and relax."

"You sure?"

"Well, I mean, Danny _could_ use his powers to turn us both invisible and intangible, thereby bypassing any need to move while visible. You _could _practice your cloning again," he said after a moment's thought. "Have a copy of you stay here while another takes me out."

"You think I can do that?"

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you could. Now, come. I don't have all day."

Danny looked slightly nervous before nodding slightly. "Fine. I'll give it a try. It's just...I don't want to hurt you."

Daniel waved the concern away. "I'll be fine. I'm made of sterner stuff than you're giving me credit for."

_I can also extend _my_ invisibility and intangibility to us both if you mess up,_ he thought wryly.

Danny smiled faintly before turning into his ghost form and, with an effort, managed to clone himself. He hesitated and looked at his clone. "How do I look like my human form in one and my ghost self in the other?"

"The same way that you transform in and out of it when there's just _one_ of you. It requires a little more concentration to separate the feeling of one of you from the other, but it _is_ possible to get one to be in human form and one in ghost. Try it."

"Don't you have to be at work?"

Daniel shrugged. "Mark is understanding. He was chill, although slightly concerned, when I showed up late for work because I was abducted by a ghost." _'Slightly' is an understatement_, Daniel amended inwardly.

"You were abducted by a ghost?" Tucker asked, eyebrows rising slightly.

Daniel shrugged. "It was nothing."

"Being abducted by Plasmius is _not_ 'nothing'," Danny told him dryly.

"You've met Plasmius?"

Daniel sighed inwardly, unhappy. "Yes, we've met."

"But you seem so…so…_calm._"

"Danny, are you trying to have one of you become human?"

"Yes!"

Daniel sighed. "Have whichever stays here continue to try. I _do _need to get to work."

"Fine," Danny half-growled. He slid under Daniel's arm and hooked his arm around Daniel's waist as Daniel held onto the younger half-ghost lightly. Danny forced invisibility and intangibility over them both before taking off.

"What _did_ happen when you met Plasmius?" Danny asked after they had phased through the Manson's house.

Daniel shook his head slightly. "Nothing much, really. He threatened me, I objected to being treated in such a manner, and I eventually got lucky and escaped."

"Why did he threaten you?"

Daniel sighed softly. "Because I have some information connecting him and the current Mayor of Amity Park."

Danny's eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

"Mm-hm," Daniel murmured, a smug smile on his face that faded quickly. "Unfortunately, while _I_ am a danger to him, he is equally one to me."

"How?"

"He's managed to figure out a number of things I wish he didn't know," Daniel murmured. "He's always been too smart for his own good."

"You've met him before?"

"Everything I know about him I discovered by doing a substantial amount of digging. You see, his dummy company, Dalv, was tampering with Mark's arcade, and I would have none of that. Originally I didn't _know_ it was Dalv, but I looked into who could be messing with things and eventually came up with that answer. As I wanted the CEO to _stop_, I needed some leverage. I uncovered all kinds of interesting things about him, things he wouldn't want just anyone knowing."

"Uh-huh. Like what?"

"Oh, some things are mundane, like how he's mildly allergic to whatever is in hummus. Other things, not so much—I managed to get my hands on his investment portfolio. I got in contact with his business partners as well as his advisers in college and grad school."

"Woah."

"I'm fairly proud of myself, actually. It's _hard_ to get stuff on him."

"How'd you do it?"

"I have my ways."

"Right," Danny grumbled.

Danny set Daniel down in front of the arcade and both became visible.

"Thanks, Danny," Daniel said with a small smile. "Have fun with Samantha and Tucker."

"Sure. I'll see you two days from now for the trip."

"Of course. I'll be ready by then."

Daniel waved Danny away and couldn't help the soft smile that briefly formed on his face before he had turned into the flashing lights of the arcade.

That was a few days ago. Now he was waiting for a certain younger half-ghost to show up to pick him up for a cross-country trip with his family.

The knock on his door was enthusiastic, demanding, and familiar, which told him who it was without him even needing to look through the peek-hole. He smiled faintly and opened the door to reveal a familiar face.

"Danny, what's up?" he asked, leaning in the doorframe as the younger half-ghost stared up at him.

"You're wearing a _T-shirt._ And shorts! Wait…is that…?"

"Your symbol?" Daniel finished, looking down at his shirt, amusement thick in his voice. "Yup. You have _no_ idea how well it's selling."

"_What?!_"

"Most people here like you and you're even known in the surrounding towns." A wicked smile bloomed on Daniel's face after a moment. "Guess who bought one recently?"

"Who?"

"Paulina."

"_No way!_"

"Yes way," Daniel replied with a small smirk. "Now, come on. I've been waiting for you."

Danny blinked at the abrupt topic switch before reconnecting, a smile forming on his face. "Follow me, then."

"I'm surprised—it looks like you're actually looking forward to this vacation."

"It's summer, I'm done finals, and no-one is (currently) in danger! I don't really want to leave town because I won't be here to protect it if anything happens...but, you were right. Valerie can handle things, for a little bit."

"Right," Daniel affirmed before closing and locking the door behind him once he had everything he would need with him.

"That's _it_?" Danny asked, looking at the backpack slung over his shoulder.

"It's stuffed full, trust me. We also won't be gone _that_ long. I'm...lucky in that I got a week off from everything."

"Yeah, how _did_ you do that?"

"I have my ways," Daniel answered with a smug smirk, making Danny lightly punch his arm.

It had taken word games, manipulation of both the normal and ghostly kind, and negotiations to get what he wanted, but he _had_ eventually received what he wanted; he always did.

Except from Vladimir, but that was a different story.

The two clonked down the stairs, exiting into the muggy summer air, making Daniel sigh faintly. Perhaps he should let his core temperature drop to its normal level...it certainly would make the heat more bearable.

The Fenton RV stood idling next to the curb and Daniel carefully clambered in, Danny close on his heels. The door closed behind them and they only _barely_ had time to strap themselves in before Jack floored the accelerator, sending them rocketing forwards.

A breathless laugh of disbelief passed Daniel's lips, he having forgotten how his birth father used to drive, and he received a grin from Danny, the younger teen knowing exactly what had caused the exhalation.

"I see why we only need to take the car," Daniel murmured, making Jazz snort.

"Dad never gets tickets because the police are too scared to give him any," Jazz said dryly, making Daniel smirk.

_This should be interesting,_ he thought, equal parts amused and terrified. He had worked this through ad nauseam with his doctor, and would, in all likelihood, be able to successfully detach so that he could enjoy the trip without having to worry about a break.

"Where are we going first?" he asked Danny.

Danny shrugged. "I have no idea."

Daniel's eyebrows rose slightly and he smiled faintly. "Well. This will be interesting," he murmured and Jazz shook her head slightly.

"I don't think 'interesting' is the word you're looking for."

Daniel paused, then shook his head. "Perhaps. But, right now, that's the best I can come up with. By the way, congrats on graduating. Danny says you're going to Princeton."

Jazz allowed herself to preen a little. "Yup."

"That's great," Daniel said with a smile. "I wish you the best of luck. By the way, do _you_ know where we're going, Jasmine?" he asked once he had regained his balance from a too-sharp turn.

"No, and could you call me something else? Jasmine sounds so...formal."

"But it's your name. It also sounds softer, has a nicer flow, is more musical, than 'Jazz'. Anyway...I don't feel entirely comfortable calling you by a nickname...I don't think I know you well enough." It was _mostly_ the truth. He _couldn't_ call _this_ Jasmine 'Jazz'—Jazz was dead, at least in his mind. However, Jasmine, the young woman sitting next to him, was very much still alive. Not that he could actually say that.

Jazz looked intrigued by Daniel's reasons. "I see. Well, we're going to be spending _lots_ of time together now," she said rather dryly, "probably stuck in here more than anything else. Try to sleep when you can—with them and ghost hunting, the sleep schedule gets messed up rather quickly."

"Because you hunt ghosts at night, right?" Daniel asked, playing dumb.

"Mostly. We'll also be driving a long way over a long amount of time, and video games and books only hold so much interest."

"Mm," Daniel murmured and looked out the window at the scenery passing rapidly by. "Well, then. I'll take you advice and get a little sleep in now. I've been having trouble sleeping, so perhaps the motion of the car will help."

"Maybe. You know, it's been shown in clinical studies—"

Daniel closed his eyes and leaned lightly against Danny, head tipping onto his chest. He hadn't been lying when he said he hadn't been sleeping well, mostly because of anxiety over what he was doing now—taking a road-trip with Danny's family.

_Huh...it hurts less this time...in fact, not at all. I suppose that I really _have_ accepted these people as Danny's family and not my own._

The last thought before he faded into unconsciousness was: _I hope that asshole's doing okay..._

--

_It was raining. Daniel hadn't bothered to bring an umbrella, and his nice suit and shoes were most likely ruined. He didn't care, though. The weather suited his mood, and that was fine by him._

"_Daniel, _there_ you are," he heard a masculine voice say and the rain stopped pelting his head, the shadow of an umbrella hovering over him._

_Daniel looked over his shoulder briefly, registering who it was before his eyes settled back on the gravestone before him. _

"_You're supposed to tell me whenever you decide to go somewhere," came the exasperated, annoyed statement from the man holding the umbrella._

"_You knew I'd be here," Daniel replied, voice flat, emotionless, eyes fixed on the three names on the tombstone before him._

_There was an odd sort of comfort, of understanding, in the hand Vlad placed on his shoulder as the older man, too, took a moment to pay his respects to those who _should_ be lying beneath the headstone. _

"_Why do you come back here every year?" Vlad asked after a moment of respectful silence._

_Daniel shrugged, water trickling down his spine at the movement. "As a reminder."_

"_Of what?"_

_Daniel looked at his foster-father, madness just barely held in check by medication and determination. "That Danny Fenton died with them."_

--

Daniel leaned partly out the window of the RV, watching as night settled on the land, completely refreshed and annoyed at being so.

_Should have forced myself to stay awake,_ he thought dryly as he watched the Fentons set up camp for the night. It was interesting watching them all interact with each other, making him smile faintly.

_There is _no_ way you would be able to get Vlad to go camping. Then again, I'm not partial to the pursuit either, so the topic would never have normally come up between us._

The metal of the RV was cool enough that he was able to lean more on the side, crossing his arms before him and resting his chin on his forearms. He let his mind drift idly, but was brought back to ground when he heard someone approaching the RV. He looked down and smiled at Danny. "What's up?"

"How did you get ghost powers?"

"I told you—peer pressure."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I'm still vulnerable to things like that—especially when I was just entering high school. You know there's the pressure to fit in."

"Yeah…was it a dare?"

"Of sorts. I was called chicken by the girl I liked, so of _course_ I had to do what she wanted afterward to prove that I wasn't scared or weak. I was also curious myself…so I guess it's partly my fault as well."

"So you've had it since you began high school?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes. It made life…interesting. Another stress…" Daniel sighed. "Ah, well."

"Does your father know?"

"That I have ghost abilities? Yes, he does."

"What's he think?"

"He encourages me to use them, to find out exactly what I can do with them. Admittedly, there are times we butt heads over what the powers are _supposed_ to be used for, but…"

"What? What does he think?"

"That they should be used for personal gain. I agree now, most of the time. But…for a while I thought, 'it's a skill that I have…so I should use it to help others'. That sentiment has basically vanished over time, though, as I've discovered just how willing people are to take advantage of your kindness and aid."

Danny winced. "Ouch. I guess…I've been lucky."

Daniel gave the younger teen an enigmatic, sad smile. "You'll learn. Most people will take everything you have to offer and give you nothing in return. The frustration is unbearable…that's primarily why I don't use my ghostly abilities much anymore."

"I guess…I understand. But…I can't imagine just standing by and _letting_ someone get hurt when I could do something for them. It's not a matter of…of…gratitude. It's a matter of doing something that's _right_, that makes life _better_ for people."

Daniel couldn't help himself—he laughed.

"What?" Danny demanded, offended.

"Ah, Danny," he said and shook his head. "I hope you never lose that gentle spirit of yours." He gave the younger teen a small, wistful smile. "I wish I was capable of believing that there is good in people still."

"You used to, though?"

"Yes, I used to. But…seeing my own darkness…my own _evil_…well, my faith in humanity died along with my belief in my Self."

Danny's indignation faded entirely and he looked sad instead. "Why don't you believe in yourself? You're a pretty good guy."

Daniel snorted and smirked. "Me? I'm not a good person."

"If you weren't, you wouldn't have helped Vlad out, and you wouldn't have become my friend and helped me with school and stuff. If you were a bad person, and you're _not_, one of my friends or family would have figured it out, even if I didn't."

Daniel shrugged faintly. "I guess." He paused and looked at the dying light before turning back to the younger half-ghost. "While your family is still in the throes or preparing for the night, do you want to work on any of your ghost powers?"

"What? But, my parents...!"

"Will never notice. Because that's exactly what I'm going to teach you—how to suppress your ecto-signature to the point that neither they, nor any sensitive ghost, will be able to detect that you have a ghostly nature."

"You can do that?"

"Absolutely."

"Is that why no ghosts have ever gone after _you_?"

"Skulker went after me once, but I convinced him that I wasn't what he was looking for."

"How?"

"I did exactly that—suppressed my energy to the point that his machines couldn't sense it. You don't even have to transform into your ghost form to practice. It's going to be something you do in your human form, afterall."

"What are you guys talking about?"

Daniel smiled over Danny's shoulder and shrugged as Jasmine approached. "Just a chat between two guys. Everything all set up?"

"Yeah."

"Well, then." Daniel opened the door and stepped down and out of the RV, giving the two siblings a small smile after slamming the door shut behind him. "What are sleeping arrangements and whatnot?"

"Kids in one tent, adults in the other."

"So you're sleeping beside your parents and I'm with Danny?"

"Ha ha very funny."

Daniel gave Jazz a smug, highly amused smile. "Glad you agree."

"I might make you sleep outside, you know."

"But you won't." The way Daniel said so carried no malignant or threatening undertones to it, was perfectly civil and normal, but it inexplicably made the siblings uneasy. "What exactly _is_ that that your parents brought?" Daniel asked, looking curiously at the machine the older Fentons were maneuvering.

"I haven't the foggiest idea," Jazz said with a sigh. "Probably something to do with ghosts—detecting them, fighting them, or defending against them."

"Well, this _is_ a trip to find ghosts," Daniel sighed. "In a way, I hope your parents find some, but in another way I want it to be quiet."

"I'm sure _something_ will happen, just with Danny being who he is."

Daniel nodded solemnly. "Probably. Why must you _always_ attract trouble, Danny?"

Danny sputtered. "It's not my fault!"

Daniel laughed and Danny gave him a light shove, making Jazz shake her head.

"Boys."

"See why I'm still in the kid tent?" Daniel said with a smile, holding Danny in a light head-lock before releasing the flustered half-ghost.

The three teens walked over to where the parents had somehow managed to build a fire, and Daniel sat down across from them, taking a place between Danny and Jazz.

"I want to thank you again for taking me along. I haven't had a real vacation in...oh, a very long time."

_Have I even _had_ a vacation at all? Vlad was always making me do stuff in the summer—he never let me idle at all. So I suppose the last time I had a vacation was when my birth parents were alive._

"It's our pleasure, dear. I've been wanting to learn more about you, since you're so close to Danny."

Daniel gave Maddie an easy smile. "I'm honored." Daniel looked across the fire at Maddie and Jack and had a swift feeling of uneasiness that he quelled by looking away from the fire. "Where exactly are we going?"

"Well, we've figured that we'll make a large circle. We'll start out west, work our way south, then north and east before returning home."

"In a week?"

"We'll see what we can do."

Daniel smiled faintly, then nodded. "Fine. It sounds like fun."

"Have you hunted ghosts before, Daniel?" Jack asked.

Daniel shrugged. "No, not really."

"Then you'll get first-hand experience traveling with us!"

"I have no doubt. What kind of things do you look for when hunting ghosts?"

_That_ prompted a long dissertation from both of the adults, and Daniel sat back with an amused half-smile.

"You're very good at getting out of a conversation."

Daniel looked over at Jazz and gave her a skeptical look. "What makes you say that? Perhaps I want to know exactly what they'll be doing so I can stay out of the way."

"I have a hard time believing that."

"Oh ye of little faith!" Daniel mock-exclaimed, before smiling faintly. "No, seriously. I _do_ want to stay out of their way. I'd rather not get hurt by accident." _Or by intent._ "So listening to them explain their hunting techniques will tell me the best ways to make myself scarce."

Jazz frowned slightly, but had to nod. "That makes sense. They don't hurt humans deliberately, but there is always a potential for an accident."

"I'm glad you agree," Daniel said with a hint of dryness in his voice. "I wouldn't have pinned _you_ for a ghost hunter—what made you want to help a certain superhero we both know?"

"How could I _not_ help, knowing his secret identity?" Jazz paused, then frowned slightly. "Why haven't _you_ told anyone about what you know?"

"Why should I? It won't do anything to help me."

"Keeping his secret doesn't, either."

"But it _will_ hurt him, and I don't want to see that."

"Why?"

"Because he's as much _my_ little brother as yours."

"What?"

Daniel smiled wryly. "I like him, Jasmine. I want to help him, protect him as much as I can. Whether that means by doing something as mundane as helping him with his homework or being the person to lean on when he's had a particularly rough day, it doesn't matter. Right, Danny?"

Danny looked a little flustered and embarrassed, but pleased. "I guess..."

"'I guess'? I'm wounded."

"Yeah, right."

Daniel gave him a skeptical look. "Are you calling me a liar?"

"I dunno—am I?"

"Insolence!" Daniel cried and lightly punched Danny's shoulder, who promptly returned the favor. "You think you can beat me?" Daniel said with a grin.

"You bet!"

"Awfully cocky, aren't we?"

"You are, too!"

"At least _I_ have reason to be so."

"Oh?"

"How much self-defense do _you_ know? I could take you in a heartbeat."

"Boys."

The Dannys blinked and looked at Maddie, and both smiled vaguely sheepishly. "Sorry."

"You must both be antsy from sitting in the RV most of the day," Maddie said with a small smile. "Why don't you both take a walk? Don't stray too far, though! There might be ghosts around."

Daniel gave her a small, enigmatic smile. "We'll be careful," he said and stood, stretching, his back and shoulders cracking in interesting ways before he looked at Danny. "You coming?"

Danny shrugged. "Fine."

"Remember, don't stray too far!"

"We won't," they said together in an equally reassuringly bored tone before walking off.

"So, you ready to practice?" Daniel asked softly once they were far enough away to avoid being overheard.

"Huh? Oh, right. Sure," Danny said with a small shrug. "What do I do?"

"For starters, _relax._ You have my word that no-one will have any idea about what you're doing."

"How?"

"Danny, I have years of experience."

"Riiiight. Can I see your ghost form?"

"Can we focus on the task at hand?" Daniel countered, making Danny scowl in annoyance. "Now, remember what your energy feels like?"

"Yeah."

"Everything that you do with your ghost powers responds directly to your will. _I_ suppress my ghost power's signature by visualizing one of those light-dimmers. As the 'light' gets 'dimmer' my ghost energy becomes less noticeable, harder for other things to detect. Even when I picture the 'light' being 'turned off' the ghost power remains—it just doesn't circulate in my body like it normally does. However, I can flick the switch 'on' again and all my ghost powers will return."

Daniel paused and looked up at the woefully cloudy sky. "It takes a bit of finesse, but once you can picture it entirely in your head, it gets easy." Daniel looked over to Danny and gave him a small smile. "You don't have to use the lightbulb analogy that I do—there are others ways of viewing it, I'm sure. That just works best for me."

"When have you needed to use this?"

"You mean aside from constantly around your parents? It's gotten me out of a number of jams with Skulker and a few other ghosts that decided that the Ghost Zone would be better off without me."

"How come I've never heard of you?"

Daniel blinked. "What?"

"Like I said when we were talking about..._that_...ghost, I know most of the ghosts in the Ghost Zone, and would _definitely_ know if there was another halfa out there besides Vlad, me, and Dani."

Daniel remained silent, waiting for Danny to continue.

"Are you the ghost that said it'd teach me?" he asked after a long moment of silence.

Daniel paused. "And if I am?"

"Then you're from the future?"

"And…?"

"How did you get here?"

Daniel shrugged. "I can't tell you because I'm not entirely certain. I was just brought along for the ride."

"Why did you come _here_?"

"Again, I have no clue. I don't think I was _supposed_ to end up here…"

"Then where would you have gone?"

"I wasn't told. Really, I don't care. I like it here." He was surprised at that, but he was telling the truth—he liked it in this time. True, he missed his own time, but he was oddly content.

"How far in the future are you from?"

"Not all that far. Just enough to know what technology will be coming out before it does."

"Which is why you kick my ass in all the new games."

"Because I already know all the codes and special moves," Daniel answered, slightly smug.

"So...if you're from the future, then, have you met _me_ before?"

Daniel fell silent for a moment before a small, faint smile formed on his face. "No. I haven't met _you_."

"Then...I don't exist in the future?"

Daniel shook his head. "I suppose the better way to put it is that I'm from a future _different_ from this one."

"What?"

"The evil other you met came from _a_ future. The primary one, I think, until Clockwork stepped in on your behalf. But the question is...could there have been other choices?"

Danny frowned. "What do you mean?"

Daniel knelt and drew a straight line in the dirt. "Let's say that was what your life was like up until the CAT." Daniel drew a vertical line at the tip of the first horizontal line. "Let's say _this_ is the CAT. In _this_ time, you didn't cheat, and your family survived." He continued the horizontal line, then put his finger back on where the vertical line was. "But that doesn't mean there weren't other choices."

"Like what?" Danny asked, kneeling next to Daniel, intrigued.

Daniel drew another line branching off. "Let's say that, somehow, the future that you hoped to prevent survived, just in an altered form. Then, there's another that you cheated, your family died, and you killed yourself."

Danny winced. "You think I might do that?"

Daniel shrugged, declining to answer. "Then there's the chance that you didn't cheat but your family died anyway," he continued, drawing yet another line. "There's also your family died and you moved in with one of your mother or father's relatives. Then there's the possibility that your family died, you moved in with Vlad, but the man _didn't_ act like a retard and refused to separate your ghost and human halves. Any and all of these _could_ happen. I came from one of them."

"Which?"

Daniel merely smiled faintly and shrugged. "Guess."

"And you met me there?"

"Again, I haven't met _you_. You're...special to _this_ time. Anyone in any of the other futures aren't who _you_ are. There's only _one_ Danny Fenton," Daniel said with a small smile, brushing the dirt from his fingers as he stood, "and that person is _you_. Every other is...not who you are."

Daniel suddenly found himself on his knees again, right hand clutching his chest, struggling for breath.

It was worse than usual. He had gotten used to the occasional shortness of breath, to the coughing spasms that sometimes took over. This was an entirely different beast, though. It felt as if an iron clamp was around his lungs, squeezing them tight.

Just as quickly as the feeling appeared, it passed, leaving Daniel gasping and feeling light-headed. _Things must be progressing more quickly if it was like that,_ he thought grimly, hand slowly uncurling from his shirt's fabric. He shook his head to clear it before he realized Danny was asking him questions with a note of panic in his voice.

Daniel eventually sat back on his heels and held up a hand, silencing Danny. "My time is being absorbed into yours," Daniel said, looking at Danny. "And it's not an easy transition, from what I've been feeling."

"What do you mean?"

Daniel smiled faintly. "Before it was just shortness of breath. Then coughing. Now, this kind of...minor suffocation...not good. I don't want to think about what the next steps will be. I have no intention of dying." Daniel blinked after he said that, looking absolutely astonished. "I have no intention of dying," he repeated in a hushed whisper, sounding almost awed.

"Daniel? What's wrong with that?"

"Danny, ever since my family died, my life was unimportant. If I died, so be it. If I lived, well, it didn't matter either way to me. I haven't actively sought my death since my first break, but I never really _cared_ if I was alive or not. I was curious, sometimes. If my human body died, would my ghost-half live on? Would that change me? What if I 'died' in ghost form? Would my human half go with it?" Daniel shook his head and stood slowly. "Idle, morbid musings. But, now..." Daniel's smile was wry, "I don't want to die anymore."

"Daniel, how did your family die?"

Daniel's face tightened. "It was my fault. I did something I shouldn't have, put my own wants ahead of everything else, every_one_ else." A bitter laugh forced its way past his lips. "And I paid the highest price possible."

Danny was about to say something, but Daniel shook his head before he could speak. "I don't want to go into the specifics. Not yet."

"Oh. Okay. Well...when you want to...will you tell me?"

Daniel smiled faintly, but there was a broken quality to it. "Of course." Daniel took a deep breath, pulled himself together, then looked at Danny. "So, are we going to work on the energy suppression or not?"

"Yeah, I guess we should. But we've been out 'walking' for a while."

"So, return to camp and continue working on it later at our leisure."  
Daniel and Danny fell into step next to each other, neither in any hurry to get back to camp.

"Hey," Danny said after a moment of silence. "Will you continue your story?"

"Hm? Oh, that." Daniel paused, then shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

--

**Post-note**: Next post: Daniel's story. ;D


	15. Daniel's Story

**Author: **Again, I'm going to take this little space I allow myself to thank you all for reading, reviewing, favorite-ing, story alerting and all that jazz. I really appreciate it. I also apologize for the odd update time. I couldn't update on Thanksgiving and I'm starting to panic because of how quickly all my deadlines are approaching, so you get it on a Sunday. Thank you for your patience.

**Disclaimer:** The day Danny Phantom belongs to me is the day I bludgeon Nick over the head until they start making it again. Which will probably be never. ;_;

**Chapter 15**

Where was I?

Right.

So, I unpacked partly before collapsing on the bed, falling asleep almost instantly—I can't sleep on planes. I've tried but have never managed to quite get it down, even though I've had many opportunities to learn how. Wish I could. The jetlag would be much more tolerable.

Hm? Well, let's see. I've been to England, France, Russia, Spain, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Egypt, Israel, Australia, Mexico, Canada, and India. They all have fairly interesting stories attached to them, but admittedly the one in Japan is by far the most interesting.

Well, I mean, I haven't been kidnapped by the mafia anywhere else. Oh, except in America. But that was my fault.

Dude, Danny, _pick one_. Either I continue my story about my time in Japan or I tell you about the time I was abducted by the mob in New York.

Well...I guess the more interesting one is the one in America. I had to disguise myself as a girl to get out of it.

Jesus, Danny! Calm down! Fine, fine, we'll switch gears. I'll pick up on my Adventure in Japan at a later date. _This_ story is _very_ short. Primarily because it doesn't need any lead-up. Well, minimal lead-up.

_That_ adventure was fairly recent. Just this past year, actually. It brought me the ability to shape-shift to the extent that I can.

So, I was in New York City during winter vacation, my father having dragged me along for an end-of-year soirée hosted by one of his business partners.

Hm? A soirée is like a party. Rich people use fancy words to sound intelligent, when most of them have more money than brains. Anyway.

I was luckily spared going, because while I may be my father's protégé, I'm—

When I say I'm his protégé, I'm saying that I'm his scion, his heir, the person who will take over after he croaks/retires. You need to read more, Danny. SATs are coming up sooner than you would like. And this time, should I be around, you will not even entertain the thought of cheating. I sincerely doubt you would, given what you've seen, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Anyway. I didn't have to go because I'm not officially part of the business. I was given strict orders to _behave_ and not wander off, but I've never really listened to my foster-father. He left with a warning that if I got into trouble what I got myself into would be nothing compared to the hell that would await when he found out.

Um...yeah, I haven't listened to him before and the results were bad, but it annoys him and I've gotten better at defending myself so I don't care...as much.

I loitered around our apartment for a little before ditching the ghosts and humans that were meant to keep tabs on me, slipping out into the city. I had been to New York before, so I knew my way around partly. I was planning on sticking to the major thoroughfares, where there was lots of light and noise and safety in numbers.

Well, people have tried to kill me before. I tend to stick to crowds even though I _hate_ them, since it makes me a smaller, less visible target. I'm good at surviving. The last attempt on my life was on my 18th birthday. A couple of ghosts sought to remove me from existence to prevent me from getting any stronger or smarter than I already am—too bad it failed. That attempt actually helped increase my strength. I could see they were kicking themselves as I killed them.

Yes, killed.

What? What would _you_ do if a group of ghosts tried to kill you? Just capture them in the Thermos and leave it at that?

Really?

Wow.

Anyway…

Hm? No, I've never killed a human. I wouldn't want to. Humans are better at surviving than ghosts are. I think the whole already being dead thing gives ghosts a false sense of invulnerability. I'd also have to deal with the police and it's actually harder to buy their silence than you would think from the TV shows and movies.

…yes, I've done it before. The circumstances don't matter—it wasn't a homicide or anything that hurt another human. Well…yeah, had I been caught it could have ended up in prison time, but I wasn't and it doesn't matter. It wasn't anything too important anyway.

Danny, _drop it._ Do you want me to continue or are you going to lecture me on morals and ethics? My past doesn't exist in this time, so it won't come back to bite me _or_ those connected to me in the ass, so let it lie.

Moving on.

I exited onto the streets and faded into the crowd at Times Square, strolling leisurely, looking at all the brightly flickering lights and doing a little window shopping. I had no particular destination in mind—all I was planning on doing was wandering until I had to be back for my foster-father.

Fine, fine, I _do_ listen to him...most of the time. The consequences tend to be good deterrents...not that I don't find ways to piss him off anyway that aren't quite bad enough to be reprimanded, but come tantalizingly close. It's fun. Continuing...

I was idly looking at the menu for the Hard Rock Café when someone grabbed my shoulder from behind. I reacted like I was taught to, surprising the man as he landed on his back with a grunt as the air came rushing out of his lungs. I looked at him and blinked before sighing. He appeared to be just a normal schmuck who happened to pick the wrong person to surprise.

"Sorry," I apologized half-heartedly as he struggled to a sitting position.

He pushed up his glasses on his nose and gave me a small frown. "You shouldn't be so jumpy, young man."

I took an instant dislike to how he talked down to me, and crossed my arms lightly as if unconcerned, although my body was tensed in case he should try anything stupid.

My brief scuffle had attracted mild attention, though, so I doubted that he would do anything more, but it never hurt to be cautious. My lack of wariness had nearly led to my demise twice prior, once with a human and once with a ghost; thankfully, it doesn't take much to teach me to change my behavior.

Well, with the ghost I learned to make sure that any ghost I defeated didn't just _appear_ to be down, but was actually and completely crushed, and the human attack was what led to my being trained in marital arts. Those experiences reinforced that mercy is only misguided condescending pity.

What? It _is_. Showing mercy only pisses people off. I've yet to have someone be grateful that I show them mercy. They've always come back and sought to use me afterwards, thinking that I'm a pushover.

Of course, selective 'mercy' is a good policy, but...

In any event, it wasn't the last I saw of the guy, although I wouldn't know that until some time subsequent to our initial meeting.

I left, going instead to the EPSN restaurant-bar-thing, since there was an hour-long wait that I wasn't going to sit through at the Hard Rock Cafe, leaving him behind, distinctly ill at ease. I didn't like what I saw in his eyes. They were _my_ eyes.

Ah, right. You haven't seen me at my worst. Actually, I hope you never do. In any event, that's not important right now. Let's just say I wasn't exactly thrilled with the threat I felt from him.

So, I enter the restaurant and make my way over to the bar, taking a seat next to a group of young women. I ask for simply water before turning to the woman sitting beside me and asking, "What would the lady like to drink?"

Okay, okay. I _can_ be a shameless flirt, shut up.

She laughed and did that cute casually-flick-hair-over-shoulder with a slight shoulder raise and downward chin tilt before giving me a smile. "I'm fine right now; does your offer extend to my friends?"

I figured credit cards existed for a reason, it was the holidays and I was bored and next to beautiful women, so I said, "Of course. Any friends of such a beautiful lady as yourself are equally worthy of my high regard."

She grinned and turned back to her friends. I gave the bartender a look and asked quietly, "Have I gotten into anything I won't be able to get out of?"

The bartender merely shrugged before having his attention called away by a different order.

"So, what's your name, charmer?" the woman asked me, drawing my attention back to her.

I gave her a smile, "David. And you, my lady-love?"

Do you honestly think I would give someone I just met my real name? You've _got_ to be kidding me. I mean, maybe I am a little paranoid, but it's best to play it close to the vest. Well...you _were—are—_special. There was no reason for me to _not_ trust you. Returning to the story...

"Christine," she replied and offered her hand.

I took it and lightly kissed the back of her hand, making her giggle and blush.

It was as calculated a flirtation as mine was. We were both adept at the game we were playing, and when you find someone who is as good at the game as you are, it's quite fun.

Yes, there's a point to this. Bear with me. And stop giving me that look—you just haven't learned to fully appreciate the fairer gender yet, being as you are obsessed with one specific girl we both know.

Ha! Gotta be faster than that.

Anyway, what do you _see_ in Samantha? She isn't particularly the pinnacle of beauty, you know.

Oh, stop. I'll lay off.

So, Christine and I start talking. We didn't have much in common—I wouldn't hesitate to say that there wasn't anything we shared at all. I'm just really, really good at bullshitting. She seemed to honestly think that I was interested in her, too.

No, I wasn't. She wasn't as good at the game as I was then. _Certainly_ not as good as I am now.

What? I'm not afraid to say when I'm good at something. A skill is a skill is a skill. It doesn't matter what it is.

So, anyway. After a while, she offered to bring me with her and her girl friends to a club. I was curious, as I had never been in a club before, and my guard has always been lower around women. I _probably_ should have expected something, but...mm...she had killer legs. And those _curves..._

Ow! That _hurt_! Am I not allowed to admire the female form?

So, she offered to take me along, and I said 'yes'.

Together we all caught a cab and took it to the correct area. It was a nice, upscale place. There was a line. I ignored it.

Most people aren't immune to ghostly possession and are incapable of recognizing when they've been duped. It was easy to get by the bouncers and guards. A few clones, a little suggestion, and we were in. I didn't even have to bribe anyone.

Yes, I have. People will sell themselves for comparatively cheap. Wave a thick wad of money in front of their eyes and they'll gobble it up without checking to see if it is actually thousands of dollars or just a stack of ones tied together. I've pulled that trick before...

The club was as high-class on the inside as it appeared on the out. I recognized almost all the faces of those that were in the club, either in the booths off to the side getting high or on the dance floor. So, while I _was_ thoroughly entertained by the antics going on around me, there was an itch between my shoulderblades that told me that not only was I being watched by a _human_, but also that they had something...less than pleasant in mind for me.

Being watched by a human has a different quality than being stalked by a ghost, and, no, I wasn't doing drugs. I already have enough chemical issues as it is to make things worse by adding contraband of some sort to my bloodstream.

That takes some explaining. We'll worry about that later. Suffice to say, I wasn't high, although I was the minority there.

I was dragged onto the dance floor and almost immediately began to panic. I absolutely _abhor_—hate, for the vocabulary challenged—situations in which I have to deal with lots of people too close. In a way, I have an over-developed sense of personal space. But it was _too_ crowded for me to be able to move anywhere except where the crowd wanted me to go, which was basically glued to the gorgeous creature that had convinced me to go along with her. It didn't take me long to decide that there was no way in _hell_ that I would ever set foot in a club again. The fumes were getting to me, and the heat and press of the bodies surrounding me was stifling. I _had_ to get out.

I excused myself as politely as possible considering how badly I was beginning to panic. Christine looked puzzled, lightly grabbing my arm, obviously disingenuous concern on her face. "You okay?" she asked over the din of the music.

I gave her a smile and nodded. "Of course. Just need a breath of air," I yelled back at her. She nodded and let me go.

I shoved my way off the dance floor, feeling suffocated by the sheer mass of humanity there. I needed some fresh air and to get away from something that was making living in my mind uncomfortable. I was actually impressed I had survived as long as I did. Crowds and me go together like baking soda and vinegar.

So, I make my way towards the bar where there isn't a sheer press of humanity and heave an inward sigh of relief.

No, I don't drink. Let me tell you something, Danny—your genetics makes you special. Things that make _normal_ people behave in one way ends up making someone like _you_ act in a completely different manner, which is why I've had so much trouble finding a medication to stabilize on. I'll give you a rundown on how you'll react to the more common substances. This _is_ relevant to the story, too, actually.

Stimulants—like caffeine—do _nothing_. Seriously. You can drink five cups of coffee and it will have as much of an effect as if you drank none. It's hard to pull an all-nighter to finish an essay when nothing will keep you awake.

Poisons—man-made or natural—_also_ have no effect. Someone tried to kill me by drugging my food at an important function my father brought me to. I obviously survived, completely unscathed, much to the assassin's surprise.

Hallucinogens—LSD, acid, etc—have a tendency to make a half-ghost violent and violently ill. It's a really bad trip _every time._ Well, you hang out with rich, bored kids whose parents are either too protective or ignore them completely, and you'd be surprised at the kind of shit said children can get into.

Opiates—such a morphine or heroine—are the only thing you _might_ get addicted to. You feel _really good_ for about half an hour before the shit hits the fan. I mean you get severely depressed and horribly delusional. Of course, that might have just been my illness talking at the time...See these scars? It was during my second psychotic break. Shadows were trying to claw their way up my legs and I kept on tearing them off. I didn't know that my skin had been going with until I woke up in the hospital, fragily sane again. I was in severe pain, enough that the doctors put me on morphine.

Whoo, that was a _bad_ decision. Then they used a sedative...ha, I must have scared them fucking _shitless._

Depressants and sedatives—alcohol, sleeping pills and the like—come very close to being fatal. I mean that within just a minute or so you're unconscious on the floor, barely breathing, heart-rate slowed _drastically._ Couple that with the fact that your body temperature is _much_ less than normal people's...well. Bad things ensue.

And that is _exactly_ what happened to me at that club. I had already found out about depressants and part-ghost genetics under another circumstance. How I found out wasn't my fault, nor was it this time.

I was prescribed sleeping pills to combat the insomnia that was a side-effect of one of the medications. It _did_ put me to sleep, but I didn't wake up feeling refreshed.

Anyway.

I _still_ can't figure out when I could have been slipped the sedative, but all I remember is nearly having reached the bar when everything suddenly went dark. When I next awoke I was tied tightly to a chair with a _pounding_ headache and a less-than-pleasant disposition.

I looked around and growled inwardly. I could feel that there was a ghost shield around the room and a person was watching me from his post next to the door.

It was the same guy I had run into at the Hard Rock Cafe.

I blinked slowly, feigning drowsiness while I was actually painfully alert. "Who...? What...?"

"You are Daniel, the son of the head of Master Corp."

I rolled my eyes inwardly, but my face remained blank, perhaps slightly confused, as if I didn't quite understand what he was saying.

My apparently sincere confusion was throwing my captor off. He had most likely expected hostility or some form of witty, sharp banter that would make him want to kill me. The passiveness and lack of intelligence I was playing had him uneasy. Had they accidentally picked up the wrong person?

In a way, even though _I_ was the one tied up, I had more power than he did. _I_ was the one in control. I was simply biding my time until an opportunity for escape presented itself.

There was a click and the door swung open, revealing Christine. I growled inwardly in disgust at myself, but outwardly I manifested shock and a mixture and anger, sadness and confusion.

"Boss wants a word with you," she murmured to HRC guy. She looked at me and I was relieved to find no remorse in her gaze.

What? It means that while she knew she would be handing me over, she didn't regret doing it. If you're going to do something, at least _commit_ to it. No-one admires a timid person.

"Why?" I asked, pain at the apparent betrayal in my voice and posture. Normally, I wouldn't have asked such a stupid question—I already could guess at the answer. It would be something like, "Your father did this to me/my family" or "_You_ did something to me/my family." Or something happened to someone she knew because of one or both of us.

I was, predictably, correct.

"It's all your fault that my father took his life," she snarled at me, resolute in her anger.

My eyes widened and I looked away, as if sincerely repentant.

Danny, people will believe what they see. Most don't look deeper than appearances, and I could almost _feel_ the confusion radiating off of them both. They certainly hadn't expected the foster-son of the head of a ruthless corporation to be as meek as I was acting.

I can be very, very convincing.

The two left and I heard the door lock. Apparently they were confident enough in their ghost shield and whatever had me bound that they felt that having a person in the room with me now that I was conscious was unnecessary. There was probably someone outside the door anyway.

I tested my bonds and found them woefully secure. I tried to exercise my ghost powers and kept back a yelp of pain as I was shocked for my efforts. Whoever had designed this particular cell knew what they were doing.

However, they gave my ingenuity and patience less credit than they should have, and had probably begun to underestimate me, considering I didn't make any fuss and, to all appearances, simply sat there morosely, seemingly unable to get over my situation.

I imagine there were still some suspicious of me—my father has a reputation, afterall, for being...less than honest. Surely, being his protégé, I picked up some of his less savory habits.

Methodically, slowly, carefully, I moved my wrists, and while I knew that the rope would leave horrible rope burns on my skin, I figured that free with rope burns was better than captive without. I also discovered that I could tolerate the amount of pain that I would receive when lightly exercising my ice energy. It wasn't _exactly_ ghost energy, so it didn't entirely register on whatever they had bound me with. The freeze-thaw and motion gradually weakened the fibers and strength.

Yes, I have cryogenic powers.

It took me the better part of 5 hours to work my way free, primarily because I was stopped every now and then by someone coming in and watching me.

The first person checked in on me about half an hour after Christine had taken the HRC guy away. He was a big, intimidating guy, all muscle. He had a few scars that only served to make him look meaner, which would have terrified a lesser person.

Danny, there are things that are _far_ more scary than a muscle-bound mobster. Trust me.

It was officially time for me to start fucking with their heads. The man had obviously been told what to expect of me—meek, timid, unsure.

So he was totally thrown for a loop when I started coming on to him.

Danny, I'm rarely ever serious about anything I do. For your information, blondes with forever legs and luscious curves are what _I_ find sexually attractive.

In any event, it was so _very_ funny to see my captor start to panic. It's always the most manly-men that have issues with their sexuality. You'd think they'd be the most secure...such is not the case. Half-veiled lewd remarks, suggestive glances and body language...I had him blushing so hard.

No, I don't remember what I said. I was actually quite inspired, though. I think I was bored and I also needed to keep him occupied on something other than the fact that I was trying to get my hands free.

Needless to say, it worked.

He left in quite a hurry, and the person who looked in on me afterwards only saw a baffled look on my face.

I was left alone for a while, giving me time to concentrate solely on freeing myself. My wrists were beginning to _hurt_, and I was pretty sure that I was bleeding ever so slightly, but that didn't matter. I had no sense of time, as there were no clocks, but I knew that I was probably going to be _so_ fucked when I got back to the apartment.

The next person to enter was a woman. I'm guessing they thought that I wouldn't become violent and wouldn't try to seduce her. I wouldn't have anyway. All I did was strike up casual conversation. In the beginning it was mostly me talking, but eventually I dragged her, albeit reluctantly, into a discussion with me. I ended up learning all kinds of interesting things about her—she had a fiancée that she was looking forward to returning home to, was quite pleased to be in the mob, enjoyed fine French dining and hated smokers. I bid her a cheerful farewell when someone came and relieved her.

I _knew_ that I had those outside _desperately_ confused. It was great. It would make my life easier in the end.

I had _nearly_ gotten myself free when the Don came in. He didn't _look_ like much, but I know the aura of someone with power when I see them. He carried himself like royalty, and therefore people treated him as such.

I clamped down. I responded to none of his questions, gave no emotional response to threats, cajolement, _anything_. It was infuriating to the man. He was used to intimidating people, or at least getting a reaction out of them. That I was so blatantly and purposefully blank was endlessly frustrating.

It never quite came to physical blows, but it was a close thing.

He eventually grew tired of me and threw off a one-liner about giving me time to think and closed and locked the door behind him. The fucker also turned off the lights, leaving me in complete darkness. I can basically see in it, though, being part-ghost.

Eventually, I got my hands free. Two more people checked in on me before then, however. Let's see...how did I screw with them?

I purposefully baited one of them.

What did I do with the other? I think I simply remained quiet, but eerily so. There are different qualities of silence and I managed to create the kind of silence that had my captor fidgeting in his seat.

Once I had my hands available, it was trivial to get my feet free. My wrists were bleeding slightly, but I didn't pay them any attention. I couldn't afford to if I wanted to escape. I walked around and tested the ghost shield. It seemed pretty solid, but I did find a chink in the armor. They had covered every surface, but there was a spot directly underneath my chair where whatever they had been using to bind me had worn away at the energy used for the shield. I copied myself and sat my clone back in the chair, binding it lightly before I turned into my ghost form and slipped through the hole, invisible and intangible.

I was alarmed to discover that they had accounted for the possibility I might escape by placing a similarly shielded room beneath me. I hesitated, but figured that I could probably find my way out better if I wasn't in my original room. I would just need someone to let me out of the new room I found myself in. I needed a _plan_.

By that time I had learned to mimic the voices of various people and ghosts, but was as of yet unable to alter my physical form. I figured that that time was as good as any to learn how. A disguise would help me escape.

I landed on the floor, still invisible. I walked over to the door and pressed my ear up against it, listening intently for any conversation on the other side.

There was none, as well as no sound of breathing, meaning that there was most likely no-one there. Therefore, I needed to find a way to pull someone over to my newest cell.

I knew that the majority of the mobsters were male—this wasn't unusual. I'm not saying that women can't be mobsters or violent, just that it's a much rarer phenomena. So I'd have to somehow use this to my advantage.

I transformed back into my human self and sat down to think. It came to me as I let my mind wander—I'd disguise myself as a _woman_. There's something about a woman in pain, danger, distress that just provokes a protective instinct in a great many males. I decided that this fact could somehow be used to my advantage. Pull the heartstrings of an unsuspecting mobster into aiding me without knowing it was _me_.

Mobsters have morals, too, y'know. They're normal people, afterall. If you know how to play off how they feel, know how to get under their skin and play with their emotions...well, they're just as vulnerable as other people.

No, I didn't feel bad about my deception, and I still don't. Why should I? You're weird.

So, I spent a great deal of time controlling my clone and puzzling over how to mimic a female form. I eventually had a breakthrough when I transformed back into my ghost form. It seems so _obvious_ now, but I was pressed for time at that moment.

My ghost form is simply will and energy. Depending on how I _will_ myself to look, I can change my appearance. I focused and willed myself to look like a woman, building a picture of what I wanted myself to appear in my mind. I experienced a brief sensation of not-quite-solidity and when I opened my eyes again and looked at myself, I had boobs. I took brief inventory of what the rest of my body looked like and was amused to find that my clothes matched the coloration of my ghost-form's. My hair was also a brilliant white and my eyes were the same neon green as when I'm my ghostly self. It made me look exotic. With another exercise of will, I altered myself so both I and my clothing looked abused. Appearing so would provoke that protective instinct and make my escape easier.

I positioned myself against the door and began to cry, knowing that the sound of feminine distress in what was thought to be an empty cell would pull someone towards it.

And I was right on the money.

Yes, I can cry on command. Really, I can express any emotion with little effort, whether or not it's the way I am actually feeling.

I heard the door unlock and I scrambled away from it. A man entered, and from my seat on the floor, my body curled in on myself slightly, hands pulling my clothing to cover slightly exposed bust and legs, I _knew_ that I looked pitiful, terrified, and so _very_ alluring.

He took a step towards me and I crawled quickly backwards, pressing myself against the far wall, apparently frightened by his presence. I saw concern bloom on his features and he approached me slowly, hands palm out towards me, showing he was carrying no weapon, trying to convey that he was no threat.

"Who are you?" I asked, pleased at how vulnerable and unsure my feminine voice sounded. "What do you want with me now?" the slight note of hysteria caused a look of even greater concern to form on his face.

"My name is Michael," he said softly, trying to pitch his voice to inspire trust. "Who are you?"

"You don't know?" I asked, my voice thick with disdain, yet carrying an undercurrent of curiosity.

He finally got close enough to see my disguise fully, and his eyes widened. "What happened to you?"

"What do you think?" was my rather acidic reply as I wrapped my clothes around me even more firmly. I knew quite well what I was making him think, and was going to gauge my next actions based on the reaction I saw in his eyes.

It was disgust. I had a vaguely ethical one on my hands. A good guy, still clinging to his morals in a society that seeks to drown them in filth. I knew _exactly_ how I was going to play my cards now.

I flinched away from his gentle touch, despair in my body language.

"C'mon. We're getting you out of here," he said after a moment. He gently took one of my actually injured wrists and lightly pulled me to my feet. He took off his overcoat and wrapped it around my shoulders, hiding my injured form. "Follow me," he said.

I followed him hesitantly, sticking close in his shadow while my arm in his grasp remained rigid and afraid. I have to admit, I had happened upon a good rescuer. He knew the place inside out and was good at keeping out of sight. That he was also an undercover cop was also a good thing.

It was the coat that told me. In a carefully hidden pocket he had his badge. I could feel it.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked softly, fear and awe in my voice.

He looked at me, surprise on his features. "Because no-one should be treated the way you obviously were."

"Are you just saying that?" I asked, suspicion in my voice. "You're not just taking me somewhere else to...?"

"No!" he hissed vehemently, insulted. I flinched at the strong emotion in his voice, making him sigh. "Look. You're in a bad way and...I don't think there's anyone here who will help you."

"You are," I pointed out. Oh, I knew _why_, but I couldn't tell him that.

He smiled wryly. "I'm a rarity."

He looked carefully around a corner before pulling me around with him, we sticking closely to the shadows.

"I don't understand you," I told him, obviously puzzled.

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not that hard to figure out."

"You're nice. Therefore, you must be hiding something."

The man smiled faintly, sadly, and shook his head. "No. I'm not. Is it so odd for someone to want to help another human?"

My silence was answer enough.

We made it to the exit without any problems, but I found myself suddenly unable to get out.

They had fucking _ghost-shielded the exit._ They had certainly prepared for everything. How they knew I would be so _conniving,_ though, I can only assume stemmed from who my father was...is.

"Are you alright?" he asked, looking back at me.

"I can't get out," I replied, sounding almost panicked. Thing is, I _was_ beginning to panic. I was running out of time before people realized that what was in my confinement chamber wasn't _me_ but a _clone_. That and my father was _probably_ back by now and was going to thrash me when I returned. My mind was racing, reaching for _anything_ I could do before it settled on one thing—pretend that I actually _was_ a ghost.

"I want to go _home_," I whispered, eyes wide in fear.

"What? How long have you been here?"

"1964..." I picked a date. It seemed as good as any.

He frowned. "But—" the realization dawned on him quickly. He was smart. Gullible, but sharp. "You're a _ghost_."

I looked terrified. "Please, let me out of here," I begged, my hands curling in his shirt.

He looked uncertain, and I looked as pathetic and helpless as I could possibly manage.

"How do I know you won't just be brought back here, since I'm guessing you died here?"

"We need someone to show us the way out. Most humans can't see us, though. _Please_, help me."

I had somehow struck a cord in him, and he nodded. Apparently he _knew_ the place was ghost-proofed. "Wait here," he told me and hid me in a corner. I wisely turned invisible as I waited. I knew the _moment_ the ghost shield fell. I was polite, though, and waited for him to return, becoming visible once he was looking for me.

"Thank you," I said, real gratitude in my voice. I lightly kissed his cheek in thanks—hey, I was a girl, I could do it and get away with it and it was expected, anyway—before bounding out the door, leaving his coat behind.

I promptly teleported back to our apartment, having changed back into my normal appearance after getting far enough away from my place of captivity.

I got a lecture and a half when I reappeared. My foster father was _not_ happy with me. I was lucky in that I managed to get away with just a lecture and not something more severe. I think he was also slightly more lenient that night because, well...actually, I have no idea. He wasn't drunk—he _can't_ drink—so, really...wow. I never thought too deeply about why he let everything slide. Maybe it was because he saw how badly my wrists were chewed up? Who knows. I've yet to figure him out, and I doubt that I will ever be able to.

Well, that's the story.

-

Danny blinked and looked at Daniel, as if evaluating him. "That doesn't seem like you. I haven't known you to be so...manipulative."

"I've told you before," Daniel said, "I'm _not_ a nice person. You are rare in that you bring out the best in me. Now, _you_ need sleep. I'll keep a lookout for anything that your parents' machines won't be able to handle that might show up tonight."

Danny looked uneasy, and Daniel gave him a reassuring smile. "I can handle anything that might come our way, promise."

Danny didn't look convinced. He paused and stopped walking once they were in sight of the camp. "What's your foster-father's name?"

Daniel paused then smiled wryly. "You really want to know?"

"Yes."

Daniel looked at Danny before smirking faintly. "Vladimir."

Danny blinked. "Vladimir," he repeated.

"Yes."

"Masters."

"Yes."

"_Vlad Masters_? Your _father_ is Vlad?" Danny hissed quietly.

"Yes, the frootloop is my foster-father," Daniel said with a sigh.

"What did you call him?"

"Frootloop."

"Okay, okay, hold on."

Daniel shifted his weight, trying to get as comfortable as possible while standing. He was nervous, but he would never let it show.

"You're from the future."

"_A_ future."

"Fine. A future. You _live_ with Vlad Masters."

"Yes, I did before I was brought here."

"You have ghost powers."

"Last time I checked, yes."

Danny ignored Daniel's weak attempt at a jibe. "You call him frootloop."

"It's a term of endearment, although it sure as hell didn't start out that way."

"Tell me how your family died."

Daniel's face tightened in pain at the memory. "I cheated on the CAT and my English teacher brought my family to the local fast-food joint to prove his point, the ass. My friends showed up because my older sister had told them something was up. I had fought a few battles near the place and I…I suppose something must have heated up that fucking special sauce, because the whole place went nuclear on me. Everyone was just suddenly…_gone_." Daniel sighed and rubbed his temples as he briefly relived the memories. "The only thing that survived the blast was shreds of my best friend's hat." He paused briefly before adding in a _very_ bitter tone, "And me."

"What was your last name before you were…adopted?"

"I moved in with Vlad by choice, so it wasn't really adoption, although we did have to fill out all kinds of paperwork. Before that, though…" Daniel looked at Danny, not bothering to hide the sadness. "I think you know."

"Tell me anyway."

"Fine. Before I moved in with Vlad, my last name was Fenton. Daniel Fenton."

"So, you're…_me_?"

Daniel shook his head emphatically. "I am _not_ you. At one time, yes, I was. Now, though…Danny, I've spent the last few years living with the frootloop, have suffered 3 psychotic breaks, have done _unspeakable_ things while also suffering such myself…you and I are far from being the same person. It's in our names, Danny. I'm _Daniel Masters_. **You** are _Danny Fenton_."

"I…it all makes sense, but I don't understand it at all." Danny scratched his head, frowning.

"Leave it at this, Danny—at one time, I _was_ you; however, that was then and this is now. I'm Daniel Masters, and will remain that way. Don't think of me as an older _you_ because I'm _not_. We're different people. Continue to treat me as an older brother, okay?" Daniel said softly and affectionately ruffled Danny's hair. "Come. _Your_ family is waiting."

Danny's eyes widened slightly. "Oh. _Oh._ That's why you had the break at my house."

"Eating dinner with alternate versions of your dead family tends to do that. Now, I see that Maddie and Jack aren't _my_ parents…they're _yours_. I'm stuck with the frootloop, whether I want to be or not."

Daniel placed his hand on Danny's upper-back and gently pushed him towards the campsite. "Move."

"I..." Danny frowned back at Daniel who merely shook his head.

"Listen. I am willing to explain any number of things to you, but can it wait? You need sleep. I'm not planning on going anywhere. Can things wait until the morning?"

Danny hesitated. "I guess."

"Good," Daniel said with a small smile and the two entered camp. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Jazz giving him a puzzled, worried look.

_She heard something_, Daniel thought keeping his suspicion from showing. _I _thought_ I heard something breathing too heavily for it to be an animal. Shit. I wonder when _that_ will come up._

Daniel blended seamlessly into the Fenton's evening routine, watching and interacting with them without feeling out-of-place or envious. Instead, he felt a certain amount of...amusement, in a way. He watched the family interact with each other and felt nothing but happiness for Danny. _He_ had a chance at a normal life.

"You guys were out for a while," Jazz said casually and Daniel looked at her and shrugged slightly.

"My legs were cramped from sitting so long and it's a nice night. It's too bad that it's cloudy, but at least it isn't oppressively hot and humid like it was in Amity."

"Yeah," Jazz agreed, looking up at the sky. "Daniel..." she began.

Daniel looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Jasmine?"

"I...you and Danny are pretty close, aren't you?"

Daniel merely shrugged as he banked the fire.

"He trusts you, y'know."

Daniel looked mildly surprised. "Really?"

"Yes. Why are you surprised?"

"I'm used to not being trusted," Daniel replied. "It's a result of my father's reputation."

"The whole 'like father like son' thing?"

"I suppose."

Jazz was awkwardly silent and Daniel ignored her, brushing off his hands and knees once he stood from fiddling with the campfire. "What is it that you really want to say?" he asked, looking directly at his younger self's sister.

"You're like Danny, aren't you?"

Daniel gave Jazz a completely disbelieving, skeptical look. "In some ways, of _course._ We're both male, both teen-aged, share a first name...c'mon, Jasmine. You're smarter than that."

Jazz gave him an uncertain look. "I mean in other not-so-obvious ways."

"Such as?"

Jazz glowered at nothing in particular. "You're good at evading things, aren't you?"

"It's a skill I've cultivated," he said smoothly and gave Jazz a cool look that had charmed the majority of the girls at his school. "Among others."

Jazz looked away from him quickly, and Daniel was amused to see that he had caused her to faintly blush, which made him a small, smug smile to cross his face.

"Do you always flirt with the sisters of your friends?"

"Not unless it flusters either them or their sibling," he replied cheerfully. "I'm harmless, I swear. I have no desire to court you—for a number of reasons." He paused and a smiled faintly. "Danny loves you very much, you know," he said, looking at Jazz. "In a way, I'm envious. I never got a chance to tell my sister I loved her before she died. I don't know if she knew I _did_ love her, either."

Silence fell, and he shrugged after a long moment. "Ah, well. It's in the past. I can't tell her anything now."

"...you carry a lot of self-doubt, don't you? What's made you hate yourself the way you do?"

"I don't _hate_ myself," Daniel said, slightly offended. "I just don't think I'm a good person. There's a difference."

"Really now?"

"Yes, there is." Daniel sighed. "Because there _was_ a time I actively hated myself."

"Why?"

"Why did I hate myself?" Daniel shrugged. "It's unimportant. Again, it's in the past. I can't go back and change i—" Daniel found himself on his knees, hand lightly clutching at his throat. Before he had been able to get at least a little bit of air in his body. Now he was utterly incapable of moving his diaphragm to pull in breaths. His vision began to blur, his head spinning from the lack of oxygen.

Just before he would have passed out, or maybe even died, the pressure let up and he coughed and took deep breaths of glorious, wonderful air.

_Twice in one day. This can't be good, _he thought and wiped away the dampness on his forehead, not realizing that some of it had crystallized into ice as he lost control over his core temperature regulation. "Daniel, are you okay?"

"Of course," Daniel replied, he proud that his voice came out smooth and relatively normal.

"Is that ice?" Jazz asked, reaching out to touch his forehead.

"How would that be possible?" Daniel asked, voice highly skeptical as he backed away from her hand. "It's summer, last time I checked."

"Danny can produce ice, even if it _is_ summer."

"Danny is special," Daniel replied. "Lots of things that apply to normal people tend to fall by the wayside when it comes to him."

"Funny...it seems like the same tends to apply to you."

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked, vaguely suspicious as he stood.

"Well, as you've said, you're the foster-son of the an apparently famous, wealthy man that none of us have heard of. Surely you get special treatment."

Daniel snorted. "I wish. All I ever get are headaches. My da—father doesn't believe I should feel entitled to anything. _He_ had to work to get where he is, so I am to do the same."

"You were about to say your 'dad'. Why did you change it?"

"Because my _dad_ is dead," Daniel answered succinctly. "The man who took me in...he's my foster-_father_. He'll never really be my _dad_. There's an important semantic distinction to be made," he asserted, although a part of him wasn't entirely certain he believed that anymore.

_He's been on your mind lately. Surely that says something._

"Do you like living with him?"

"Sometimes," Daniel answered with a shrug. "Other times I want to kill the man."

"You're serious," Jazz murmured, surprised. "Why? Why would you want to murder him?"

Daniel smiled faintly. "We disagree violently on a number of things."

"I've had my arguments with my parents, but I've never wanted to _kill_ them." Jazz paused. "If you dislike the man that much, why stay with him? Surely you have other relatives?"

"Danny has never mentioned your father's family. Would you stay with people you know nothing about?"

Jazz smiled faintly. "So you're staying with this man because you don't know your parents' family?"

"Something like that. It's very much a devil-you-know situation."

"I see."

"Oh, really?" Daniel murmured, a small smug smile on his face.

"You're complicated," Jazz said and Daniel snorted.

"That is perhaps one of the largest understatements I've heard in a very long time."

Jazz chuckled slightly and shook her head. "Daniel Masters, I'm going to enjoy getting to know you."

Daniel frowned, hiding his confusion admirably. "What?"

"Oh, nothing."

Daniel's face was blank for a moment before he smiled faintly and shrugged. "If you say so."

"I do say so," Jazz replied cheerfully. She turned to head towards the tent when Daniel's hand around her wrist made her stop and turn to face him.

"How much did you hear?" Daniel asked softly so that only Jazz could hear.

"Hear what?" she asked innocently.

"You're an awful liar," Daniel informed her. "You came to check up on Danny and me and caught part of our conversation, which was probably what prompted you to say that Danny and I are alike. What part of our conversation did you catch?"

"I...I know who your foster-father is," Jazz replied hesitantly.

"You heard more."

"No, I didn't!"

Daniel simply _looked_ at her, making her shift nervously before letting her go. "You're lying."  
"Am not!"

"If you know who my foster father is, you know that I've been around a master liar for some time. I can tell when people with less skill than he are lying. You are, in part. What else did you hear?"

"Nothing," Jazz asserted.

"Uh-huh," Daniel drawled before shrugging. "Fine. Don't tell me. But I'll find out anyway."

"What?"

"I'll find out exactly what you overheard," Daniel informed her with a small smile.

"I don't believe you."

Daniel's smile turned mischievous. "You'll see."

Jazz looked at him for a moment before shaking her head. "Amazing. I can't read you _at all._"

"Another skill," Daniel said with a small shrug. "Now, it's getting late and you actually were awake the entire ride. You should sleep."  
"You don't need sleep?"

"I'm not tired right now," Daniel replied and shrugged. "I'll probably join you guys later."

"Don't get into a nocturnal schedule, okay?"

"I won't, mother," Daniel teased.

Jazz shook her head in amusement before entering the tent that she, Danny, and Daniel would share.

Daniel stood silently, merely listening to the wind before he split into a clone and vanished, leaving the clone behind to make sure no questions were asked as to where he had departed to.


	16. Allies

**Author**: I'm back! This is a fairly short chapter because I couldn't tie in the next scene with the ending of this one. The next chapter's length more than makes up for it, trust me. Anyway, Daniel has returned, and he's far too much fun. I hope you all enjoy! I'm actually quite worried...although I am quite flattered by all the reviews, favorites and alerts. Extremely. Thank you! Updates will return to their every-other week schedule, usually posted Thursday evenings.

**Disclaimer:** Danny Phantom doesn't belong to me. If it did, Clockwork would show up _much_ more often in the show.

Allies

_Daniel took in the scene before him with detached satisfaction. It seemed like nothing now, a small accomplishment that wasn't worth the effort he had put into it. He idly punted one of the groveling Observants into the far end of the chamber and was immensely satisfied by the squelch it made as it hit. Daniel's eyes traveled slowly across the cowering forms before he picked out the leader among them. He made a languid come-hither gesture that the Observant reluctantly obeyed. _

"_I'm going to be..._lenient_," Daniel said in a soft, shattered, malignant purr. "And let you exist. But on one condition."_

"_What is it?" the Observant asked reluctantly._

"_Give me the Crown."_

"_No!" was the immediate answer. _

_The Observant was a pool of jelly on the floor before Daniel not a thought afterwards, making the other Observants shudder. "Let's try this again," Daniel said politely, calmly. "Give me the Crown."_

"_We...we don't have it!"_

"_It wasn't with the Ring and neither Pariah Dark nor the Fright Knight had it in their possession. _Where is it_?" Daniel snarled softly, eyes narrowing. _

"_We don't know! We thought _you_ had taken it."_

_Daniel paused and blinked slowly before a wry smirk formed on his face. "I see. No matter. I have the Ring, and it has proved to be more than enough," he murmured, voice dripping with contained madness. "Now, listen carefully," he said, voice low and threatening. "You are to leave me and my father alone. Do _not _meddle in my affairs, do _not_ seek to subject me to your stupid rules. I am above them. You know my accomplishments—"_

"_Crimes!"_

_The Observant that had spoken out of turn was quickly and messily taken care of by a clone of Daniel that abruptly appeared behind it. Daniel continued as if nothing had happened:_

"_Pariah Dark was destroyed by me. Walker is_ mine_, subservient and eager to fulfill my every desire to avoid my wrath. And you have been shown that you are mere ants beneath my feet. I can crush you any time I wish and there will be _nothing_ you can do to stop me. I will wear this.._mark_...of yours as a badge and a warning instead of the death sentence you meant it as," he told them softly, fingers touching the deep, spiraling wound that wound across his back, covering his digits in his half-ectoplasm blood. "_Fear me_ and no harm will come to you. _Resist_...and I will take immense pleasure in tearing you to shreds," he said flicking the blood off of his fingers and onto the floor._

"_Why are you doing this?" an Observant asked, a slight note of panic in its voice._

_Daniel paused and thought before a not-quite-sane smirk formed on his face. "Why shouldn't I?"_

-

Daniel woke with a start and shuddered. His hand traveled to his shoulder and found it, predictably, tacky with blood. He looked at the faintly glowing bodily fluid and scowled.

_I should have expected this._

Whenever he used the Ring, his Mark always broke open. He had no idea why, just that it was an apparent side-effect of tapping into the well of power that was the Ring. He was willing to pay the price because his body had never mattered to him, his _life_ had never had any meaning. Things had changed, though.

_Who knew that coming into the past would give me a new chance at life?_ He thought with a small, wry smile. He licked the blood off his fingers before standing with a wince.

_Hope not too much of it got on the sleeping bag...or that they just don't notice, _he thought, looking down at the fabric_._

The amount of blood he lost and the physical pain and exhaustion he endured were proportional, in some weird way, to how much of the Ring's power he used. He knew he deserved the pain that resulted from his use of the Ring, deserved it for what he had done...but it wasn't like he regretted his actions. He had learned to stop regretting things; regrets weighed one down, made one hesitate, made one weak...and there was _no way_ he'd be weak. Still, there were times he wished that using such _power_ didn't hurt so badly. It was no matter, though—the pain was worth what he had gained.

A wicked smirk bloomed across his face at the memory.

He had sensed his pet on the edge of his consciousness and had gone to investigate, wondering what the ghost could _possibly_ want.

What he had found was by far worth his curiosity: his pet had located the ghosts he wanted.

Daniel stood in front of Ember, Technus, and Vortex, Walker at attention by his side.

He had been silent for a few minutes, looking them over and thinking. His pet had done a number on the ghosts; then again, he had expected no less. Vortex was the one who had, apparently, fared the worst—he still had a number of sluggishly oozing wounds, along with a number of obvious, only partly-healed recent injuries. He was not the most heavily bound, however, and with good reason. Daniel had ground into his pet that female ghosts were to be treated much more gently than male ones—this was why instead of injuries, Ember was simply heavily restrained. Her instruments were nowhere in sight and her lips were sealed, keeping her from using the vocal attacks that she had developed. Technus had sustained damage, but not half as much as Vortex. The technologically oriented ghost had probably surrendered once he figured out whom he was fighting.

The ghosts in Daniel's home time had come to fear the pet almost as much as the Master, which was endlessly gratifying.

_Now, how do we approach this situation?_ Daniel wondered, each of the ghosts growing nervous at his silence. _We'll start out as gently as possible. Vortex will undoubtedly give me grief. However, I am certain that I can get Technus and Ember to cooperate…but I'll have to work carefully. I know what I want to happen, can almost predict what _will_ occur, but I must give those two the illusion of the freedom of choice._

"Hello," he said pleasantly, the Ring of Rage unhidden, lying prominently on his chest. "It's a..._pleasure_...to see you three again."

"What do _you_ want?" Vortex demanded, still defiant for all his obvious grievous injuries.

"Now, now. That's not the way you are to talk to me," he said to the weather-ghost, voice cheerful yet commanding and brutal. "You will show me the proper respect, _ghost_," Daniel told it. "I just wish to speak with you, for the time being. If you behave you won't get hurt. Any show of defiance, however, will _not_ be tolerated."

Daniel crossed his arms lightly, eyes fixed on the three ghosts. "All I want is information. Should you be cooperative, you will be treated with the utmost respect. If you should be otherwise…well."

Ember's eyes flickered briefly over to Walker, most notably his collar, and Daniel smiled pleasantly. "_Exactly,_ my dear diva," Daniel purred as he regarded her form, she powerless without her weapons. Daniel turned and walked over to Ember, kneeling in front of her, fingers lightly pressing against the gag.

"Now, listen, love," Daniel said softly, speaking only to Ember. "I'm going to take this off. But you must _not_ use that beautiful voice of yours to try and harm me. You see, I don't think my pet would like that."

Ember's eyes narrowed in disgust and anger.

"Oh, don't worry. He's going to get quite the scolding later—he knows he isn't supposed to be brutal to ghosts of the fairer gender. You can be certain that I will put him through much more than whatever he did to you." His voice was soft, hypnotic, sincere. "Now, _please_. You have a choice: you can ignore and scorn me and be sent back to the Ghost Zone, or you can cooperate with me and I will make sure that you will be safe and protected wherever you are—not even that Phantom ghost will be able to harm you."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise as if to say 'Really?'

Daniel nodded. "Yes. Now, _please_. You can rest assured in my protection."

Ember wavered. Daniel _had_ protected ghosts before, and _did_ have a history of treating female ghosts with more respect and gentility than male ones. Perhaps he had changed...if only slightly? No-one had seen him in _years_, and his reputation and deeds—both good and bad—had become something of a legend. He was told in stories to terrify younger ghosts into behavior, but was also remembered for setting up some of the programs that benefited many.

The confusion he saw on her face pleased him greatly. _Huh. 17, 16 and 12 _do_ work*,_ he thought to himself, keeping his amusement hidden.

"Promise me, Ember?" he implored, voice, posture, and eyes gentle.

The pop star looked nervous and uncertain before nodding hesitantly.

Daniel pressed his fingers against the gag and drew the energy into him.

He was relieved when Ember didn't immediately attack him. He stepped back so he could view all three ghosts.

"So, we begin," Daniel said in a soft, dangerously amused voice. "What is the state of the Ghost Zone you come from?"

"What is this Ghost Zone that you speak of?" Technus said dryly.

"It's gone. Just the human world is left, now, and even _that_ is failing," Vortex sneered. "Stupid creatures are perishing in droves."

Daniel's eyes flashed and he advanced on Vortex. "Humans may be stupid, but you forget that _I_ am also part-human, and will _not_ tolerate a mere _ghost_ talking about me like that," Daniel's voice was laced with subtle venom as he spoke. "I only hope you remember that," he said to the weather ghost as their eyes locked, Vortex blanching slightly at the warning.

"After I...took my leave, what happened?"

"Nothing much...for a while," Ember said slowly, working her vocal chords back into functioning. "Things proceeded much as they always did. Then...things started _changing_."

"Oh?"

"Ghosts started disappearing," Technus supplied.

Daniel merely waited, prompting them silently to continue.

"The Human World started going as well. The Ghost Zone and Human World really _are_ closely linked."

Vortex was silent, simply glaring daggers at Daniel and his pet.

"What changed in the Ghost Zone first?"

"The Observants' High Council."

Daniel _wanted_ to grip his shoulder and snarl, but he had long since mastered himself and his reactions, so none of his emotions got through the facade he had built carefully. "How?"

"They had tried to take the place that you had claimed as your own and failed," Ember said, a note of puzzlement in her voice. "Then they started disappearing one by one."

"Some said that it was you taking your revenge for them trying to usurp the power base you had built."

Vortex sniffed in disdain and Daniel ignored him, causing the ghost to sulk.

"Was it really you?" Ember asked hesitantly.

Daniel simply smiled.

The terror he saw in their eyes as they drew their own, mistaken conclusions was pleasing. "So, after the Observants were taken care of...?"

"It was every ghost for himself."

"_Herself_," Ember hissed.

"The lady is right. It's not good to be sexist," Daniel chided Technus. "Tell me more."

"Well..."

Daniel listened to the tale that Technus and Ember began to weave, and frowned only marginally, not liking what he heard.

"When at first you disappeared, everyone was ecstatic. They didn't care how or why you were gone—just that you were, and that was what counted. No more Ghost Master to deal with."

"Is _that_ what you call me? That's pathetic."

"Well...you weren't styling yourself as a king. Just someone who had complete control. So, taking that and your new last name—Masters—it worked out to that."

"Interesting. Continue."

"The funny thing was that after a year of not having you around, things began to dissolve. The Observants, having been proved defeatable, had lost all credibility. No-one paid them attention anymore. But, there also wasn't anyone strong enough to fill the hole you had left."

"I think your father just liked watching us squirm."

Daniel smirked faintly. "Mm-hm. So, things started falling apart."

"Two years after you left—"

"How long has it been since I...left?"

"5? I think."

Daniel was disturbed, but none would have guessed. _That means that I should be 23. Yikes. Well, there goes college, right?_

Vortex broke the flow of the conversation by directing a brief hail-storm at Daniel, who easily blocked it with a shield around himself, letting all the pieces of ice plink musically off of the barrier. Daniel made a show of yawning, completely unruffled, continuing to pointedly ignore the ghost. "You were saying?"

"Two years after you left, things had become really bad. It really was a free-for-all, ghosts rising and falling from power like the weather changes in the Human World. But, then...that was when the holes began appearing. Portals that at first seemed normal, but led to a completely different world. Somewhere that was familiar, yet not."

"That's where I saw you again," Technus said, and Daniel nodded.

"At the arcade, right?"

The ghost of technology nodded.

"I assume you brought news of my existence back with you?"

The ghost nodded slightly. "Yeah. It made more ghosts seek out these different portals. Problem was, some of them were what brought them _here_, while others simply led to our Human World. Many ghosts were lost when they tried to make the trip."

"Mm."

"Then, there was something else that made the ghosts seek out these _other_ portals—the Ghost Zone started to break down."

"How?"

"Energy storms that ripped through the Zone would happen every now and then—mostly during a _major_ war or natural disaster in the Human World. But, the ones that happened after 4 years of your absence...they were something else."

"The storms used to just damage the Zone itself. But, these...these _killed ghosts_. And in doing so added to their energy, making them stronger and stronger, tearing holes between the two realmns. The two realities began to bleed into each other while being repelled by panic on both sides."

The weather-ghost had been simmering from Daniel's casual dismissal, and created an abrupt temperature increase to try and spite Daniel; however, Daniel responded to the event by letting his core temperature drop, circulating his ice energy throughout his body, keeping him completely composed, which baffled the weather ghost and made him relent.

"And that panic only added to the eventual destruction," Daniel murmured, not responding in the least to Vortex's efforts.

"Dunno. I got out as soon as I could," Technus replied, and Ember nodded.

"Same here."

Vortex remained quiet before it jerked its hands up; however, before it could call down a tornado on Daniel, the half-ghost had struck, pinning Vortex's arms to his sides with a ring of ice-energy with the added binding properties that Daniel had created. Daniel sighed and the smallest amount of annoyance appeared on his features.

"I assume this one did more or less the same thing," Daniel drawled. "Do you know what was happening concurrently in the Human World?"

The ghosts slowly shook their heads. "Too much was going in the Ghost Zone."

"It never really mattered when survival was an uncertain thing."

"Uh-huh. What about my father?"

"Plasmius?"

"As far as I know, he was doing rather well for himself. He didn't seek to take _your_ place, but he did play the game he always had been before you."

"Which means he manipulated everything while seeming to have absolutely nothing to do with anything that was going on, yet constantly profited from it," Daniel murmured, amused.

The weather ghost finally simply lunged at Daniel, but its movement was uncontrolled and sloppy, and Daniel easily sidestepped the attack, eyes flashing briefly in an emotion none of the ghosts present could interpret. "I will tolerate no more of this," Daniel said softly, no emotion coloring his voice as he regarded the ghost that lie before him. "Pet."

Walker was immediately beside Daniel, holding the weather ghost still, all attacks bouncing harmlessly against the sheriff, courtesy of the ghost's natural resistance and the protection that Daniel's collar gave him.

Vortex must have seen something in Daniel's eyes, however, as the ghost's own went wide with fear. "Wait! Wait! _NO!_"

"This is why it would have behooved you to behave," Daniel murmured as he pulled back the collar on Vortex's outfit and pressed two of his fingers against where the ghost's pulse-point would be, should it have been alive and human. Vortex jerked, trying to get away from the pressure, but Daniel kept on applying steady, excruciating force.

Eventually, his fingers, with the help of some of his own energy, managed to break the 'skin' of the ghost. Daniel smirked and around the ghost's neck a band of blinding blue/white light formed. Vortex flailed against Walker's iron hold, but an exhausted and injured body coupled with the sheriff's immovability rendered all fight useless. The blue light slowly solidified into ice.

It next began to glow faint green, Daniel tying some of _his_ energy, along with Vortex_'s_ into the binding he had woven in his ice. This caused the band to ooze slightly, growing sticky. Daniel slipped the Ring of Rage onto his finger and applied it to the band.

Vortex tensed, then shuddered as the band became solid and metallic, clamping down mercilessly on the ghost's 'flesh', binding him to Daniel's will until Daniel either released him from his slavery or one of them perished completely. Daniel stood slowly and looked at the prone, gasping ghost, a gentle, pleased smile on his face.

"What...what did you do to him?" Technus asked, terrified.

"Hm? Oh, he's mine now," Daniel said flippantly, gesturing with the hand that had the Ring on it. "You don't have to worry, though. The same fate does not wait for you two," he said and walked over to where the ghost of Technology and the Ghost Zone's diva were bound. "No, you two have a different fate."

"You said you'd protect me!" Ember reminded Daniel.

"And I will," Daniel replied sincerely. "I am not going to make you mine, but I am going to, if so ever slightly, bind you to me." Daniel held out the hand that didn't have the Ring on it to Ember. "Take off your glove and give me that hand."

"Why?"

"I will have to leave a mark and I don't want anyone to see something that will detract from your beauty."

"Will it hurt?"

"Only briefly."

"Tell me _exactly_ what you are going to do."

"Either in the center of your palm or the back of your hand, I will leave a small insignia."

"What will that do?"

"Create a connection."

"What will that connection do?"

"Nothing harmful."

"_What will it do?_"

"Allow you to come to me."

"Why would I want to do _that_?" Ember asked, incredulous.

Daniel shrugged. "You might be in danger."

Ember looked at Daniel, whose face spoke only sincerity.

"You're not lying?"

Daniel shook his head emphatically.

Ember hesitated before taking off her glove and holding out her hand.

Daniel lightly, gently took it in his and pressed the Ring into her palm. There was a brief flash of power and light and Ember jerked in shock, but Daniel's grip was surprisingly strong, holding her in place.

He pulled back the Ring and in the center of her palm were simply two concentric rings, glowing ever so faintly before fading to only slightly darker than her skin tone. "Now, whenever you need to escape, think of me and you'll be immediately by my side."

"You're certain."

"Absolutely," Daniel said and released her hand. "If you want to test it, fly off somewhere and then concentrate on me."

Ember looked suspicious, but eventually _did_ fly off to check that Daniel wasn't lying. If Daniel _was_ lying, she would have escaped anyway, so there was no harm in testing it out.

Daniel stood and looked at Technus, face unreadable. "Now, for you," Daniel murmured, voice giving away none of his emotions or intentions.

"What are you going to do to me?" Technus asked, mildly terrified, yet curious.

"Do? I'm not going to _do_ anything. I'm going to set you free. All that I want is you to share your knowledge of control over technology."

Technus looked _very_ suspicious.

"Seriously," Daniel said, voice and face mirroring his words. "This is the bargain I wish to make with you—I set you free, healed and whole. I will never seek you out or try to bind you to me. I will even make my pet apologize, should you so desire. All _I_ desire is your knowledge of technology manipulation."

"What will you do with it?" Technus asked, obviously unconvinced.

"I do not need to explain myself to you," Daniel said in reply.

"...no. I will _not_ teach you," Technus said stubbornly. "You'll use it to take over the human world or something!"

Daniel laughed. "The human world, you say? Ha, that's a good one," Daniel chuckled and shook his head. "No, no. The human world is too much _effort_ to take over."

"And the Ghost Zone wasn't?" Technus asked slightly sullenly.

"Oh, no. The Ghost Zone was _easy_ to conquer and equally easy to remain in control of. You see, in the Ghost Zone, you all _respect_ power, will bow to it, albeit reluctantly. But accept it you will, as long as it doesn't appear _too_ irksome—and I always made certain it was never more than anyone could handle. Absolute obedience when required wasn't _too_ much to ask for, especially considering that I let you do whatever you chose and protected you otherwise."

Technus looked uncertain and intrigued. "Why _not_ the human world?"

"Humans respect the might-is-right, but are not centralized enough for me to easily manipulate. They also have this nasty tendency of banding together to defeat a perceived enemy, and become quickly discontent. Ghosts, however, have issues with this whole 'teamwork' concept, so it's easier to divide and conquer. Ghosts also aren't illegal to kill—humans have laws restricting such, and I must bow to convention in some circumstances. Anyway, do you know how long it takes to get bloodstains out of clothing?"

Technus looked taken aback. "How would you know?"

Daniel's eyes looked haunted briefly before the cold, aloof exterior returned. "It doesn't matter," he answered smoothly. "Now, Technus. _Please_ teach me how to be a technomancer. I'm asking you _nicely._"

Technus remained unconvinced and stubborn.

Daniel caught his eyes and held them for a long moment before sighing softly. "Very well," he said, defeat evident in his posture. "If that is how you will be."

Technus looked astonished that Daniel was apparently giving up. "Seriously?"

Daniel shrugged. "I'm too lazy to get into a fight with you and if I force you to teach me you'll just teach me the _wrong_ things to throw me off."

Technus blinked, obviously confused and wary. "You're kidding me."

"Fuck no," Daniel replied, seemingly bored. "You're not worth the effort," he replied, a slight sneer in his voice.

Daniel was quite conscious that he had pricked the ghost's ego from the quality of the silence. He turned away from Technus and smirked. Technus was currently entirely focused upon him, keeping him ignorant of how a clone of Daniel had worked its way behind the Master of Technology.

The ghost never knew what hit it.

Daniel grinned as he possessed Technus, taking over the ghost's body and mind in one swift, practiced move. He plundered the entity's consciousness, dragging all of its knowledge, experiences, skills into himself, leaving it without that which previously defined it.  
Daniel absorbed the clone and closed his eyes as he processed the new skill set. When he opened his eyes next his eyebrows rose slightly.

_Well. I wasn't expecting that to be a side-effect,_ he thought to himself. Him bereaving Technus of the techniques that defined him had returned him to the typical ghost form—an amorphous, glowing green blob with red eyes. It was startling to see the ghost reduced to such a state, enough that it made even Daniel briefly uneasy. The uneasiness was pushed aside, however, as Daniel felt a tug on his power that told him that Ember was using the connection he had forged between them.

As he walked over to a nearly-recovered Vortex, an astonished Ember appeared at his side. He gave her a cheerful smile. "See?"

"I thought you were lying."

Daniel merely shrugged and left a perplexed Ember behind, kneeling next to Vortex, who snarled at him and directed a bolt of lightning towards Daniel.

The ghost was astonished when the lightning bent back in on itself and harmed its originator.

Daniel 'tsk'd and the slightly singed ghost looked completely bewildered. "You can't harm me, ghost," Daniel said with malign good humor. "Not since you're bound to me. The sooner you accept this and your..._enforced servitude_...the less you will get hurt. And, by the way," Daniel said as a smirk formed on his face, "you can't disobey me. My pet could at first, but I worked that particular kink out of the binding. Acceptance is your only option. How long and how much it takes for you to learn this simple fact is up to you. _I_ am your Master now."

"No-one can master the weather!"

Daniel's smirk grew into a full-fledged grin. "There is _nothing_ I can't do."

After that he had left Vortex in his pet's dubious care, bid farewell to Ember and had completely forgotten about the former Master of Technology.

Now he was nursing a Mark that was oozing that clear liquid that appears once the blood has basically entirely clotted and in bone-deep pain.

_Ah, well_, he thought as he stepped outside. _It was worth it. I have a new pet, made a new ally, and gained the ability to control technology. Yes, the pain is _definitely _worth it. _

He phased out of his shirt and looked at it before sighing. He conjured some ice and melted it with his ghost energy, using it to clean both his shirt and back, washing away the blood.

_I should try and get some sleep. I know I'll probably only dream again, but at least my body will have rested. By morning the Mark should be invisible to everyone but Danny. _

Daniel flash-dried his shirt before slipping it over his body, sighing softly. _We'll deal with that tomorrow, though._ He paused and frowned slightly. _I wonder why Danny has never commented on it before—I've been shirtless around him on a few occasions._

Daniel shrugged, then turned and returned to the tent, quietly making his way around Jasmine and Danny, unaware of the soft, slightly protective smile on his face.

--

"_I'm surprised. You're actually reading a book and not one of those 'graphic-novel' pieces of nonsense."_

_Daniel looked up and earmarked the page. "Perhaps you should read it, too. It's...educational."_

"_Not only are you reading a book, but an informative one? Are you truly Daniel?"_

"_Am I?" Daniel replied, closing the book and holding it so Vlad could see the cover. _

"_The 48 Laws of Power__," the older half-ghost read aloud._

"_Mm. Law 12: Use Selective Honesty and Generosity to Disarm Your Victim. Law 17: Keep Others In Suspended Terror—Cultivate An Air of Unpredictability. Law 16: Use Absence to Create Respect and Honor. Law 31: Control The Options—Get Others To Play With The Cards You Deal. Useful, don't you think, frootloop?" Daniel half-asked, opening the book again. _

"_You know, I never would have thought you had it in you."_

"_I wouldn't have either," Daniel answered flatly. "But things, and people, change."_

"_But you seem to have completely reinvented yourself."_

"_Law 25: Recreate Yourself," Daniel replied. "I can no longer claim to be Danny Fenton—hell, I can't even say I'm __**Danny Phantom**__ anymore. Danny Fenton has never spent time in a mental institution. Danny Phantom has never killed another ghost. And certainly neither of them is a convicted criminal in the Ghost Zone."_

"_I see," Vlad said slowly._

"_Do you?" was Daniel's only reply._

_Daniel knew Vlad had stood there for a number of minutes before leaving the small library/study that Daniel had claimed. Daniel smiled faintly and gently turned the page of the book. _

I will _not_ be weak anymore, _he thought to himself, and the smile on his face became malignant. _The Ghost World will tremble before me in a way that Vlad has yet to get it to do and I will enjoy _every minute_.

--

**Post-note**: In case you didn't catch it, when Daniel refers 12, 17, and 16, he means the laws in The 48 Laws of Power. Which, by the way, is a real book. If you want to understand Daniel's psyche, I recommend reading that. It's really quite fun. The Mark and everything surrounding it will be explained in later chapters. Thank you all for reading!


	17. Explanations

**Author:** I couldn't stand editing this anymore, so here it is, posted a little bit early. Again, much love to all those who have read, are reading and/or will read this story. I am also constantly flattered by the reviews, favorites, and alerts. I try not to be too vain, but they really give me the warm fuzzies.

**Disclaimer:** I have three Danny Phantom themed articles of clothing. That's it.

**Explanations **

Danny gawked at the older teen, who merely gave him a smug smirk as he leaned back in his seat in the RV, having just finished a ghost story without mentioning anything specific that might give his past away (in case one of the adults was listening).

"_Seriously?_" Danny half-exclaimed.

"Seriously," Daniel affirmed, dark amusement thick in his voice.

Danny, too, leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms lightly. "That's...kinda awesome."

Daniel shrugged. "What can I say?" he replied, an irritating smirk on his face. "I'm just that cool."

"Modest, too, aren't we?" Jazz murmured, making Daniel flash her a quick smile.

"Of course."

Jazz rolled her eyes and Danny snorted, making Daniel chuckle.

Two harrowing days had passed and Daniel had discovered just how much Jazz knew about him—it wasn't comforting. She had heard most of his story about his capture in New York through to his former name. She had, thankfully, beaten a quick retreat after that, and so had not heard more than that, which meant that she didn't share the knowledge that Daniel wasn't _quite_ right in the head.

If she had, she would have been peppering him with questions, subtly trying to psychoanalyze him and find out what exactly was wrong. Strong, effective medication was keeping everything quiet and _solid_, so he never worried that she would put _that_ particular secret together on her own. There was no evidence to work off of, and unless Danny _told_ her—and he wouldn't—she would never know.

The conversation he had with Danny that first day after his former identity came to light had been...interesting.

Danny had approached him with that _look_ on his face, which had made Daniel sigh and surrender to the inevitable. "You want me to explain more about myself."

"Yeah," Danny affirmed and walked over to his older self, who sat down on the ground and looked out at the bleak landscape—searching for real 'ghost towns' brought one to the most deserted of places. Afterall, one would _never_ think to look for a ghost city within a big city itself, even though that was the only place Daniel had ever found communities of ghosts outside the Ghost Zone.

"What do you want to know?" Daniel asked softly.

"How long have you been living with…_him_?"

Daniel paused and thought. "Approaching four years now. You should know that, though, from my age and how old you were when you were spared my fate."

"I guess…this is just…I don't know, it's somehow weirder than finding out Dani was a clone of me that Vlad _made_."

"Why?"

"You're me…but, in so many ways, you _aren't_."

"Danny, listen to me. _I'm n__ot you_. After my family died, after I shattered…I ceased to be Daniel Fenton anymore. Some of the things I've done you would _never_ do, not with who you are. My experiences have changed me, and I'm not sure if it's for better or worse." Daniel paused before continuing: "What else do you want to know?"

"What's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Living with him."

Daniel snorted and rolled his eyes. "An experience."

"Like…?"

"Well, I mean, we drive each other up a wall, sometimes quite deliberately."

"Like what?"

"Little vindictive things. Deliberately saying the wrong things at the right time, misplacing objects that the other needs, giving ghosts conflicting instructions…stuff like that. Nothing that'll be _truly_ harmful in the long run, but makes living with the other irritating." Daniel paused. "However, I must admit, I don't mind the affluence."

"Money isn't everything."

"You're right," Daniel murmured. "But money is power, and power _is_ tantamount."

Danny shifted, slightly uncomfortable. "I don't know about that either."

"Then what do you think is?"

"What?"

"To you, what constitutes the most important thing in the world?"

"Well…" Danny paused and looked at the ground, thinking.

Daniel smiled faintly and rubbed his shoulder slowly, his back aching from the poor sleeping conditions, hard car seat, tension and...well, the Mark.

"Family…and friends. People, I suppose," Danny said after a long silence.

"Oh, I agree, people are _incredibly_ important. Although I think I feel this way for a different reason than you. Again—without people, no power. As to friends and family, though…" Daniel paused and thought. "I…I'm not sure anymore. I haven't _had_ any good friends in what feels like forever. Just lots of fair-weather shallow acquaintances. In regards to family…again, I don't know. I haven't really had a family for a while either."

"You call him your father."

"But not my dad. Father is more of a...a..._title_, a way of showing deference. If he was my _dad_...well, that's a different story. My dad is family, and my family is dead," Daniel finished, voice rather flat.

"...I...think I understand."

Daniel smiled faintly. "No, you don't, but thank you anyway."

"Where'd you go to school, again?"

"Some ritzy private school. I never bothered to really find out where I went. It just...wasn't important."

"Private school, huh?" Danny murmured and pushed around some dry, sandy dirt with his feet. "Must've been different from Casper."

"Oh, not _really_," Daniel drawled. "There were still cliques and bullies and homework and annoying teachers and everything you'd expect from a public school...just more subtly _nasty._"

"What do you mean?"

Daniel paused and thought. "Well...in Casper, Dash is a physical bully. He'll throw you around, stuff you into lockers, use you as a punching bag...but he won't get under your skin."

Danny merely looked at him, mutely prompting Daniel to continue.

"Okay, well..." Daniel hesitated. "There's more than one way to bully someone. A lot of what went on where I went to school...it was all kinds of mental torture. Word games. Rumors. Pranks that pointed at no-one and everyone. Sure, there were some who were physical, but that was looked down upon as too crass, too _base_ and childish. No, the bullies were all about making you squirm inside their hold once they backed you into a corner that you couldn't escape from. It was never anything physically threatening...just...I don't know. Somehow more vicious. That was all subverted, though; on the surface, everyone was polite, personable, beautiful...but, for the most part, it was a facade."

"Were _you_ bullied?"

"No," Daniel replied with a dismissive shrug. "My connections made me immune."

"Why?"

"Because my father outranked _everyone else_. There was no way they were going to push me around, not when my father has so much _power_. Nope, lots of brown-nosing. It was sickening."

"Did...did _you_ bully other people?"

Daniel paused and thought through his answer carefully. "If I did, it was unintentional. What I did, I never _made_ people do. At first, it was because of my life with my birth-family. I clung to the morals and ethics I had learned. Unfortunately, that only made my life difficult. You don't get anywhere being _nice. _Then...well, after I broke my perception of the world changed. It was _so hard_ to pick up the pieces, especially when they kept on falling through my fingers."

Daniel sighed. "Once I returned to school—I was away for some time—well, I had been irreversibly changed. I...I lost so much...To compensate for my insecurity, weakness, and madness…in order to keep myself safe…I learned to _manipulate_ people, not bully them. I planted ideas in their heads, suggested things, made them think that everything they did was of their own volition. I never deliberately hurt anyone, mentally or physically." Daniel paused. "So, was I a bully? I don't think so. But, my view of reality is warped," he finished and looked over at Danny, raising an eyebrow slightly at the look on the teen's face. "You think I was."

"Manipulation, bullying...just two sides of the same coin," Danny murmured, obviously unhappy.

Daniel paused and watched Danny for a moment before smirking faintly. "You're wondering if you're going to turn out like me."

Danny looked up quickly at Daniel, slightly surprised.

Daniel merely shrugged. "I'm good at reading people," he said in way of explanation. Daniel gave his younger self a reassuring smile. "You shouldn't worry—the likelihood that you'll turn out like me is _incredibly_ tiny. I mean, consider whom I've been living with as opposed to you. The two environments are so drastically different...don't worry, Danny," Daniel said and ruffled the younger half-ghost's hair gently.

"You told me last night that you've done unspeakable things. Like what?" Danny asked, batting Daniel's hand away.

"They're unspeakable for a reason, Danny."

Danny paused then sighed. "You're not going to say any more than that, are you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"It's the tone of voice you used. Fine. Keep your secrets."

Daniel winced inwardly. "Don't be like that, Danny," Daniel sighed. "You already know basically _everything_ about me."

"But _you_ already know everything about _me_. Since we met!"

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose to relieve the tension that was building. "Yes and no."

"What?"

"You're _different_ from me. I had to do some digging to catch up on everything that you've been up to. I didn't come in here with a file that told me everything about you. All that I knew about you was what led up to the Nasty Burger incident. After that...clueless."

Danny cocked his head to the side, intrigued. "Oh?"

Daniel shrugged. "It was easy. You're the talk of the town, and the internet has lots and lots of interesting things to say about you. I was surprised when I found out that Jazz was part of your little ghost hunting group, you know."

"Really?"

Daniel nodded. "Do you know when Jazz found out?"

"Yeah. During the first run-in with Spectra."

Daniel let his surprise show, feeling no need to conceal all his emotions around Danny. "That long? Wow. I would _never_ have guessed."

"Yeah, I didn't either."

"How'd you find out?"

"Well...so, my evil self trapped me in the future Ghost Zone using one of Clockwork's time medallion-things and it seemed pretty hopeless. Somehow, Jazz found out that it was my evil self that had gotten back to my home time and sent me a message telling me how to get back—use the frootloop's portal. She tied the note to the boooomerang with her hairband. I recognized her handwriting and everything, so once stuff settled down, we talked. She was..."

"Overprotective."

"...For a while. But, she's kinda chilled out."

"That's a relief," Daniel murmured. "It must've been bad for a little bit, though."

Danny sighed gustily. "You have _no idea._"

"You're right—I don't," Daniel observed with a small half-smile.

Danny gave him a small smile in return before it faded. "Will you ever tell me?"

"I don't think I'll have to. Knowing how things tend to go with me and you, you'll end up finding out whether I want you to or not."

"That doesn't sound ominous _at all._"

"Oh, look! Danny used an SAT word! I _am_ a good influence on you."

"Shut up."

Daniel chuckled softly as Danny lightly punched him. "Anything else?"

"Did you ever have a girlfriend?"

"No, not technically. No boyfriends either. Not that that _stopped_ anyone from trying," Daniel said with a sly, satisfied smirk.

Danny frowned. "What do you mean 'technically'?"

Daniel shrugged. "I kept people wondering whether or not I was interested in them—in that way I had all their hearts wrapped around my fingers. So, I had a lot of _almost_ girl and/or boyfriends, but not anyone I could trust enough to form a _serious_ relationship with. I kept them at enough of a distance that I made myself all the more alluring; the more you withhold yourself and drop only slight hints at what might be lying beneath the cool exterior, the harder people chase after you." Daniel murmured with a small contented smile.

"Daniel, that's not nice," Danny said, disapproval obvious in his expression and voice.

Daniel simply shrugged and said, "It's power."

"Power isn't everything."  
"Says you. As far as I'm concerned, very little else in life matters. And _don't_ you think that I discount people—as I've said, without people there is no concept of power, so I feel that they're _very_ important."

"But for all the wrong reasons."

"Perhaps. It's all a matter of perspective."

"No, it's _not_!"

"What is it then? Truth?" Daniel scoffed. "What is truth?" he spat.

"_Daniel!_"

"Oh, don't be so shocked," the older teen sighed.

"...and this is why I have a hard time believing that you were me."

Daniel smiled faintly, sadly. "That's okay. I look at you and have a hard time believe that I was you, too." Daniel paused before voicing a self-deprecating chuckle. "Ha. I might be said to be loopier than the frootloop."

Danny frowned, obviously uncertain how to respond to that statement.

Daniel smiled and shrugged slightly. "Whatever. Any other questions?"

"How're your grades?"

"Better than yours," Daniel teased, making Danny scowl. "It's only because he's _constantly_ nagging me," Daniel admitted. "Or else I would slack and probably have the same grades you do."

"Does he have family?"

"Yes, but I'm never going to meet them."

"Why not?"

Daniel shrugged slightly. "They don't get along well."

"Because he's a rich egotistical bastard who takes pleasure in manipulating people to get ahead in life?"

"No, because when he told his parents about him being half-ghost, they rejected him. His siblings followed suit."

"Oh," Danny said awkwardly. "So, it's just you and him?" he said as a feeble attempt at recovering.

"And lots of ghosts," Daniel said with a nod. "I've been _trying_ to convince him that two people don't need a castle, but he doesn't listen to me. I suppose it's because the portal is there."

"That would make sense. Would be kinda hard to get the portal into an apartment."

"This is true," Daniel agreed. "Anything else?"

"Can you drive?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Why do you think?"

"...right. How are your relations with ghosts, since you seem so..._chill_...about them?"

Daniel hesitated and pondered his answer carefully. "It's a working relationship."

"Meaning?"

"They work for me." _Whether it's by choice or not is a different story._

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Who have you...employed?...before?"

"Well...almost all of them. The only ones I haven't bothered with are Clockwork, who I didn't believe existed until I arrived in your time, and Pariah Dark. Every other ghost I know about I've had work for me at least once."

"What did you have them do?"

"Nothing that hurt any human, I swear," Daniel answered truthfully. If he got wind that any ghost he had dragooned into his service misbehaved...well, suffice to say, they didn't do it again.

"Have you had them do anything illegal?"

Daniel sighed. "Depends. I used them mostly for information gathering. I don't _think_ that's illegal."

Danny frowned his disapproval. "Have you used any ghost _here_?"

"No. It's too much trouble." _Maybe, eventually, I'll start bending this place to my will, but I won't worry about taking over the Ghost Zone right now._

There was a long pause before Danny asked his next question, "Have you ever killed anyone?"

"Human? No. I've been too late to save people from death, but I've never deliberately taken another human's life."

Danny looked immensely relieved, which made Daniel slightly amused. "I'm unethical, but I'm not a murderer. I...I've always done my best to protect people, whenever they end up getting caught in the crossfire of my battles, or if I know there's something I can do to help prevent their deaths. I'm not a philanthropist by any stretch of the idea—I just don't like seeing people die. They...they can _live_ in a way I can't, which is why I've always done my best to protect you and those you care about. Your lives have _meaning_ that mine doesn't."

"What do you mean?"

"Danny, it's not a matter of _if_ I will break again—it's a question of _when_. Being...being tied to my medication the way I am...I'll never be able to live an even _vaguely_ normal life...well, normal-esq. I won't be able to have children, get married..."

"Why?"

"Who would stay with me? I'm sick, a half-ghost, and very much broken. What I have is also genetically transmittable, so I run the risk of any biological children I might have carrying the same problem I have and I would not do that to _anyone_, even the people I hate." _(…monster...)_

"Oh..."

"Don't pity me," Daniel growled softly. "I've adapted to this fact of my life." The ache in his chest told him that he was lying to himself, but he shoved the truth away.

"Still. That's...sad."

"I suppose," Daniel murmured and he habitually placed a hand over his heart, where he kept the Ring hidden within the ghost energy that lie right beside the human organ, unconsciously consoling himself with the power he wielded.

"Does you chest hurt?"

"Hm? Oh, no. I'm fine. You worry too much."

"I've seen you do that before, though, especially when you're thinking."  
"Really?" Daniel asked, intrigued. He had never noticed. He supposed it was because in his home time he didn't have to worry about anyone recognizing the Ring and asking uncomfortable questions. The ghosts at his home time already knew he wielded it, so he didn't bother keeping that a secret around them and allowed himself to physically fidget with it. But...he had wanted to lie low here, so he hid it in the one place no-one but he could reach it. He hadn't thought he would unconsciously seek comfort in its presence. "Well, you don't have to worry. It really _is_ nothing life-threatening. Certainly not like those times when I can't breathe."

Danny frowned, obviously concerned. "How has that been?"

"It's been getting worse, but, actually, I'm not all that worried."

"What? Why not?!"

"Because, if I still manage to retain my faculties, I've found a way around it."

"Oh?"

Daniel shrugged. "I'll turn into my ghost form. Can't suffocate if I don't have to breathe."

"Ah. Right. Um..."

"Yes?"

"Will I...will I get what you have? Since, y'know, we're the same person...kinda."

Daniel hesitated. "I...I'm not _sure_. However, taking a guess...I'd say no."

"Why do you think that?"

"Do you _want_ what I have?"  
"No!" Danny denied. "It's just...I want to be prepared if..."

Daniel paused and cocked his head to the side. "Well..."

"What?"

"Have your thoughts been scattered recently—not just having trouble concentrating, but seriously unable to keep your thoughts in line? Have you heard anything and asked those around you if they said anything and they haven't? Have you experienced _excessive_ amounts of paranoia? Have things that you've said come out all _wrong_ even though you know what you're trying to say? Like a jumbled mess...kind of a...a...word-salad?"

"I...no, not really."

"I broke not long after my 16th birthday. If you're not manifesting those yet, and I _had_ for some time beforehand...I don't think you will. Of course, being from different circumstances it might take you a little longer to descend into the madness." Daniel shrugged. "You can count on me if things start spiraling out of control. I...I had no-one. The least I can do, if you end up sharing my fate, is _be there._"

Danny looked torn and Daniel placed a hand on his shoulder, offering silent support. "Anything else?" he asked after a moment of silence.

Danny sighed and looked pained. "What are we going to do about _him_?"

"Him wh—oh. Phantom."

Danny nodded mechanically.

Daniel shrugged. "The only thing we _can_ do—prepare. We'll keep up your training and I'll keep on trying to find a way to counter that Ghostly Wail of yours."

"Huh? Really?" Danny said, surprised. "You've been working on a counterattack?"

"Of course," Daniel replied with a slightly raised eyebrow. "It's terrifyingly strong, so I figure that if I can find a way around it, I'll be prepared for much worse attacks." Daniel paused, then sighed. "Do you want me to teach you energy manipulation? Seriously, that's what I'm best at."

Danny hesitated. "Right now, cloning practice and learning how to suppress my ecto-signaure would be best. I also want training in _physical_ fighting."

"Why? Is he more of a physical fighter?"

Danny hesitated. "Well, I dunno. He seemed pretty good at both. But…I think _I'm_ better at physical fighting."

Daniel paused, thought, then nodded. "Very well. I will teach you what I can. We will go over everything in human form before applying it to your ghostly self."

Danny smiled faintly before becoming immediately tense. "No! We can't just prepare. We have to find a way to take him out _now_. Sheesh, I can't _believe_ I just _let_ him be out there!"

Daniel caught Danny's wrist before he could go anywhere and shook his head. "No, Danny. Ghosts, for the most part, are intelligent enough to _stay away_ from that monster. You know why there've been so many ghosts of late? Because _they left the Ghost Zone to get away from him._ Think about who needs you more—ghosts or humans? Will you leave your family and friends vulnerable?"

Danny scowled at the ground. "That was a very mean thing to say."

"The truth sucks, which is why I lie so often."

"You said you don't lie to me."

"Because you won't socially, politically, or physically kill me if I tell you the truth."  
Danny blinked. "Yikes."

Daniel shrugged. "My life is…interesting." The older teen grew serious and caught his younger self's eyes: "So, the plan right now is to make certain that you're as strong as possible when Phantom shows up—and he _will_. I can imagine how much it must be _killing_ him that you defeated him."

"Seriously?"

"Danny, I hate to say it, but I think I can guess just a few of his motivations—I'm, to my everlasting dismay, much closer to him mentally than to you. I know I'd be _steaming_ if someone I thought I should be able to beat with my hands tied behind my back defeated me." Daniel paused. "Actually, perhaps that's why I train so hard—I want _desperately_ to defeat Vlad and never end up in that kind of situation. This is also why I regularly try to find a ghost who will hand my ass to me—keeps my pride manageable."

Danny's lips twitched up in an imitation of a smile.

"Do you have any more questions for and/or about me?"

"...I can't think of anything right now. But there will be more."

"Of course," Daniel murmured with no small amount of sarcasm.

"Hey!"

Daniel smirked and avoided a playful swipe from Danny, the anxiety and sadness temporarily dispelled.

He caught Danny regarding him seriously during calmer moments (but when the Fenton adults were either absent or busy—Danny was kind enough to keep things quiet enough so that _they_ didn't start to ask questions), but he didn't mind.

Danny was looking thoughtfully up at the roof of the Fenton RV as Daniel pulled himself out of his memories, making the older half-ghost smile faintly. He knew he puzzled Danny, made him _think_ and it both frustrated and amused the younger teen. Daniel was fine with this—he always did like keeping people on their toes.

"What're you thinking about?" Jazz asked across Danny.

Daniel shrugged. "Nothing much. Just these past few days. I must admit, they've been..._different._..from what I'm used to."

Danny snickered as Jazz gave a small smile. "I'd imagine," the young woman replied.

Daniel gave a small smile in reply before coughing into his hand to hide the wisp of cold air that told him a ghost had entered his sensing range. _Who, though?_

"You alright?" the two Fenton siblings asked in sync, making Daniel chuckle softly.

"Of course," he murmured. "Although I'm flattered by _your_ concern, Jasmine. I would never have thought you would take to me the way you have. Am I really that likable?" he asked sweetly, looking at Jazz pointedly.

The young woman flushed slightly and Daniel just barely retained a smirk. He had told Jazz, in a rather round-about way, that he _knew_ everything that Jazz knew about _him_.

It went over Danny's head, but Daniel could tell that he was suspicious that something more was being said than what Daniel had vocalized from the look he was given.

"Well, my brother thinks highly of you, and he's a fairly good judge of character. Therefore, I feel as if I can trust you," Jazz finally responded.

"Mm-hm," Daniel murmured before shifting in the seat, the smallest of smug smirks on his face.  
Both saw Danny's ghost sense go off and the younger half-ghost sighed softly. Just as he was about to stand and hide to go ghost, Daniel put a hand on his shoulder and forced him back down.

"Remember, Danny," Daniel murmured. "This is a vacation from fighting ghosts in that form for you."

"But I can't just leave it out there!"

"Who says you can't?" Daniel replied. "The world survived without you to save it before you got your abilities. One week of you taking a break won't destroy it." _Probably._

Danny looked ill-at-ease. "But..."

Daniel shook his head slowly. "No, Danny. If your parents' machines pick it up—and they most likely will, if _you_ can sense it—let them handle it. Only if it directly engages you are you allowed to fight it."

"But—"

"Danny, you're going to run yourself ragged. Even heroes need vacations."

"But—"

"Danny, _stop,"_ Daniel said softly, voice dropping to a level only Danny could hear. "If it becomes necessary, I can block your power so that you will be unable to use it."

"_WHAT?!_" Danny hissed, surprised. "You wouldn't!"

"I _would_ if that would keep you from running yourself into the ground."

"But—"

"What are you two talking about?"

The two Dannys looked at Jazz, Danny avoiding her eyes while Daniel raised an eyebrow slightly. "Danny needs a vacation and he's refusing to take it," Daniel half-summarized.

"Uh-huh," Jazz said, looking at Danny pointedly, who flushed under her gaze.

"That's not true!" Danny protested, slightly cross.

Daniel smirked inwardly, figuring out a good way to get Danny to take a break. "What do you think, Jasmine? Danny's been going all year without respite, from ghosts to homework to interpersonal relationships to all sorts of other complications that arise from hormones to high school. Shouldn't he relax a little?" Daniel asked smoothly, crossing his arms as he regarded Danny coolly.

Jasmine easily caught his cue, a small smile briefly playing across her lips. "Hm...that's true."

"What? But...!"

"Good god, Danny, is that the only word you can say?" Daniel chided with a teasing tone. "Need I tutor you in English, too?"

Danny scowled and muttered uncomplimentary things about Daniel.

"Look, your parents will be more than happy to take care of anything that might come our way," Daniel said softly, gently. "You won't deny them what they derive more pleasure from than anything else, will you?"

Danny squirmed, and Daniel received a look from Jazz that he didn't bother to interpret. "Please, Danny," he cajoled, voice sincere and pleading. "I worry about you. Won't you take a break, if not for yourself, then for me?"

Daniel knew how to phrase things in ways that would make Danny hesitate and reconsider, and he knew from how Jazz was regarding him that she was impressed.

Danny shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "But, _Daniel_, I can't just ignore it!"

Daniel placed a sympathetic hand on his younger self's shoulder. "Danny, I understand," Daniel murmured, "but I can't let you. You _promised_ me you'd take a vacation from ghosts, remember?"

"I—" Daniel's mouth moved, but Daniel knew he had him cornered and the teen would eventually just have to give in.

Before Danny could scrape together an answer, the RV's sensors went off with all the bells and whistles Daniel expected, but still made him jump. There were happy exclamations from the two front seats, and the three teens exchanged amused looks (if slightly frazzled on Daniel's part).

"This will be the first time you're really going to fight a ghost, isn't it?" Jack asked—loudly—over his shoulder, taking his eyes off of the road to focus on Daniel.

"Y-yeah," Daniel replied.

"Well, then—watch carefully; this is how _professionals_ do it!"

"Right," Daniel replied, and while the dryness in his voice was lost on the adults, his peers caught his tone and smiled faintly.

Daniel frowned when he saw nothing, even though he knew from how Jazz and Danny gasped that they saw something. When Danny's parents didn't react either, he sighed softly.

_Youngblood_, Daniel thought unhappily. He shifted his eyes to their ghostly form, allowing him to see the outline of the child ghost, if not be able to see him in his entirety.

"Daniel, my parents can't see him! I _have_ to fight him!"

Daniel shook his head and closed his eyes. He let down his energy barrier briefly enough to push out a sphere of energy, its bright-green color adhering to anything _full-ghost_ nearby.

This made Youngblood and his skeleton companion painfully visible. Daniel immediately clamped down on his energy again, shifting his eyes back to their normal human form before opening them and smiling faintly at Danny, who was staring.

"Did you...? But...!"

Daniel shrugged. "Jasmine knows about me, at least insofar as my relation to you. And I was careful anyway. It also made your parents happy," he said loud enough for only Danny to be able to hear, gesturing slightly to the two adults who had exited the RV (which had been stopped so fast it nearly caused whip-lash) and were now chasing Youngblood with great gusto.

Danny sighed, but smiled. "You take so many chances."

"It's necessary, sometimes," Daniel said as he stood and exited the RV himself, stretching, Danny and Jazz sticking their heads out of the RV. They watched the adults chase after the child ghost, indulgent smiles on their faces.

"Jasmine."

"Yeah?"

"May I speak with you? Alone?"

"Why?"

"I feel there are a few things we need to air before we can feel entirely comfortable around each other," Daniel said calmly, eyes fixed on Jazz's.

Jazz hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. Danny, don't get into any trouble."

"That translates to, 'engage in battle and _I'll know_ and hell will follow,'" Daniel added, helping Jazz down out of the RV. "Come," he said softly to her. "I can protect us both...although I doubt I'll need to, as you are quite capable of doing so yourself," he finished with a small, wry smile.

Jazz gave him a smile in return before walking a small way away from the RV. Daniel set up a ghost-shield dome that faded from bright green to clear, leaving no sign of its presence.

"This way Danny can't eavesdrop," Daniel murmured before turning to Jazz. "Now. You overheard Danny and mine's conversation."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't be coy with me, Jasmine," Daniel drawled. "I'm not stupid."

"I'm not implying that."

"Lying to me is a fruitless exercise—you know who my father is. Better to cut your losses and tell the truth."

Jazz frowned slightly, then sighed. "In that case, I'm quite confused. How is your existence even _possible_?"

Daniel shrugged. "I have no clue."

"How'd you get here?"

Another shrug.

Jazz huffed in annoyance before a smile flitted across her face. "What's it like, living with Vlad? I did, albeit briefly, but I want to hear your more...educated...opinion."

"Right, I remember."

Jazz frowned. "What do you remember?"

"That you lived with Vlad for a short amount of time."

"How?" Jazz asked, obviously surprised.

"I did a substantial amount of research on you all, once I found out exactly where and _when_ I was. So, I know that you moved in with Vlad for a few days...before returning to your birth family, unscathed and quite happy," Daniel finished with a small, wry smile. "Alas, I had no such luxury."

"How is it? It seemed quite...lonely."

Daniel shrugged. "I never noticed."

"Really?"

Daniel nodded. "You heard me telling Danny who I am. Which means that you heard how and why I moved in with the frootloop."

"Yes. Because we all died."

Daniel nodded slightly and raised an eyebrow at the smile Jazz was holding back. "What?"

"You still call him frootloop."

"It's, oddly enough, a term of endearment. Almost like 'little badger' to me."

"He still calls you that?"

"Of course. It's our way of annoying each other...although it's not annoying anymore."

The shadow of a smile faded and Jazz looked slightly sad. "It must have been hard, with everyone dying. But...you know, I don't think our deaths—wow, it's weird saying that—were your fault."

Daniel looked at her with intense skepticism. "What makes you say that? How was it _not_ my fault?"

"You had no way of knowing that Lancer would bring everyone to the Nasty Burger. You didn't know that I told Lancer about—"

"So it _was_ you," Daniel murmured, no emotion in his voice.

Jazz flinched slightly before her jaw set stubbornly. "It was in your best interest. It's not right to get ahead by cheating."

Daniel was quiet for a moment before speaking: "It doesn't matter anymore. Danny avoided my fate _because_ of you, even though it was you who set things in motion that would bring you all to the place of your demise. So, what I want to say, really...is 'thank you'."

Jazz looked surprised, eyes narrowing, trying to read Daniel, who remained stubbornly inscrutable. "Why are you thanking me?" she asked cautiously.

"Because you helped him. You sent him the note that told him how to escape the future and return to this time in order to—with Clockwork's aid—save you all, and so avoid everything that I have experienced. I wouldn't wish my experiences on my worst enemies, so I extend all my gratitude to you for keeping Danny from becoming me."

"How do you know he won't become you anyway?"

Daniel's smile was mysterious, depressed, and self-deprecating. "It's just something I know."

Jazz frowned. "You keep many secrets."

"Very perceptive. You'll make a good psychologist one day," Daniel said softly with the smallest of smiles on his face.

"Thank you?"

"Trust me—it's a compliment," Daniel replied. He looked out at the landscape and sighed slightly. "Your parents should be done chasing Youngblood around shortly. I don't feel any more ghosts in the area, so things'll be quiet after this."

"You can tell?"

"My sensing range is greater than Danny's. When I coughed in the car I was hiding the mist that is my ghost sense going off."

Jazz's eyebrows snapped up. "My. You really do sense farther than Danny does."

Daniel smiled slightly. "Age and experience. C'mon. Let's return. Danny and your family will be wondering as to where we've disappeared." Daniel pulled the shield down and turned to walk away, but Jazz's hand caught his wrist before he could walk far.

"You mean my brother no harm."

"Never!" Daniel replied heatedly. He meant it, too. Come hell or high water, Daniel would _never_ hurt Danny. Even if possessed by a ghost stronger than he (thankfully, there were none that he readily knew of), he would never hurt his younger self.

Jazz looked relieved before falling into step next to him.

Daniel watched as a thought formed on her face, and had almost guessed the question when she spoke it: "You refer to mom and dad as "_your family_", signifying that you don't consider them to be _your_ family. Why?"

Daniel smiled sadly. "_My_ family is dead. Have been dead for a number of years. My foster-father is the closest thing I have that comes to a family...but he's still a while away from actually being my family."

"That's sad."

"It's life," he said as they reached the RV, Danny sulking slightly as he watched them approach.

Daniel's lips quirked up in a slight smirk that made Danny's scowl deepen. "How'd you make a ghost shield I can't see?" Danny asked sullenly.

Daniel's smirk widened. "I'm just gifted."

Danny made a casual swipe at Daniel that was easily avoided, Daniel's smirk wicked as he stepped into the RV, settling down next to Danny, batting at him with casual playfulness, earning him a similar swipe, which dissolved into a good-natured fight that Jazz watched with amusement.

By the time the Fenton adults returned, Jazz had been pulled into a tickle-fight, making the two ghost hunters smile and shake their heads, allowing the mock-fight to dissolve into laughter before getting back in the RV.

"How'd things go?" Daniel asked once he had gained his breath back, pushing a hiccupping Danny gently off of him.

"Great! We captured the ghost!" Maddie said, holding the Thermos with—supposedly—Youngblood in it.

"Congrats," Daniel said as he climbed back onto his seat, easily able to find his balance after experience traveling with Jack driving, Jazz and Danny joining him eventually. "I'm sorry I didn't pay much attention this time. Perhaps next time I'll see more of your substantial skills."

"I have an idea! Why don't you come with us?" Jack offered, making Daniel blink.

"Seriously?"

"Of course!" Jack said.

"It'd be fun!" Maddie chimed in, making Daniel shift uncomfortably.

"Hm...I dunno. I don't think I'd be much help."

"Nonsense!" Jazz said, making Daniel give her a quick, suspicious look. "It'd be a good way for them to get to know you for who you are," Jazz said softly so that only Daniel could hear, earning her a dirty look.

"Exactly! Next time we spot a ghost, we'll take you along."

"Oh..." Daniel murmured, remaining 'uncertain'. "I suppose..."

_As long as it isn't anyone from my world, things should be fine. I just have to be careful is all, _Daniel thought as suggestions flew around him, the adults becoming more convinced and excited, Danny giving him a rather devilish grin.

"Hey, why don't we make it a family thing?" Daniel suggested, making the adults pause and Jazz and Danny give him dirty looks.

"That sounds like a _great_ idea!" Jack exclaimed.

Daniel gave Danny a slightly smug 'if-I-suffer-you-suffer-too' look, making Danny scowl.

"So, next ghost we find, everyone chips in," Maddie said.

"Sounds like a plan," Daniel replied cheerfully. He wasn't looking forward to it, but being able to drag other people down with him made things at least marginally more bearable.


	18. Battle

**Author**: ha, sorry about this being late. I was involved in a tradition at my college and it kind of ate my life. this probably isn't one of my better chapters, simply because I didn't have the time or opportunity I would have liked to edit entirely. But, here it is. Good enough, I feel. As always, thank you to everyone who reads, reviews, alerts, etc. I truly appreciate it. Also, one request: I have a poll on my profile page, asking what I should start after I'm done one of my other stories (4 years). Please vote.

**Disclaimer**: DP isn't mine. Alas.

**Chapter 18**

"Here's one!" Jack exclaimed, drawing Daniel out of the tattered, much-loved book he was reading.

"Here's one what?" Jazz asked sleepily, Danny snapping to alertness as his ghost sense went off.

"A ghost!" Maddie said happily. "Now, remember! We said that we'd do this all together," she reminded them cheerfully.

The RV screeched to a stop, sending everyone pitching forward from the momentum, snapping back into place due to reinforced seatbelts that Jazz had wisely installed.

Daniel blinked and sighed, slipping the book back into his bag before climbing out of the RV, alighting softly on the thick grass that seemed to stretch on for miles without break.

_We really are in the middle of nowhere, aren't we?_ Daniel thought, amused.

Twilight was descending upon the land. The last homestead that they had passed seemed lightyears ago. In all directions, he saw very little aside from the knee-high grass and a small smattering of trees dotting the expanse. The silence was nearly oppressive to Daniel, who was used to always having something going on in the background. It made him strangely uneasy.

"Here, I'll show you what is best for a beginner to use," Maddie said and guided a reluctant Daniel over to the substantial weapons rack that was deployed.

"This should be enough," Maddie said, taking a Specter Deflector, a Jack-O-Ninetails and a small hand-held gun off and handing them to Daniel, who suppressed his ghostly energy to the lowest possible, able to handle the Specter Deflector with only mild discomfort, although he quickly stashed it back when neither Maddie nor Jack were looking.

Daniel clipped the Ninetails on his belt and looked the gun over with a fairly professional eye. He had used—and created—inventions not much different from what he currently held in his hands.

"Everyone ready?" Maddie called and Daniel looked over to Danny and Jazz, who gave him amused looks.

"Sure," he replied with a small sigh. "Where is this ghost of yours?" he asked, and swept out his own paranormal senses in a circle around them.

His eyes widened only marginally, not enough for anyone else to notice. _Yikes. We're in for a harder battle than they imagine they will face._

The place where they had stopped was a veritable hub of ghostly activity. Thousands of wandering, displaced spirits were crawling all over the place, and at its heart was a malignant, sleeping entity that Daniel feared to see woken.

_It will not be easy should the activity of the Fentons provoke the entity into action,_ he thought, faintly nervous. Its power level wasn't high enough that Daniel would be unable to handle it, but he wouldn't enjoy doing so if push came to shove.

Well, he _might_ enjoy crushing it, but he could never outwardly express that. Too much unwanted attention could be brought to bear on him.

Therefore, Daniel resolved to stay in the background, even though it was against every instinct of his to do so, and it wasn't because he loved the limelight—he hated attention. No, what made him desperately desire to fight against the ghosts was the fact that it was a _challenge_ and he thrived against challenges. He always wanted to test his skills, develop new ones, hone old ones, prove his superiority without a shadow of a doubt. However, he planned to keep himself suppressed, seem to need help at occasional moments, fumble with the equipment, all in order to direct attention away from him and his potential and onto the Fentons themselves.

In truth, it would have taken him about fifteen minutes to half an hour to defeat all the wandering low to mid-level ghosts. There were none that Daniel would have qualified as high-level (save the slumbering entity), otherwise he would have gone after the stronger first by manipulating the lower level ghosts, which were far more numerous.

Daniel tended to take a less active approach to fighting. He would find a place to hunker down and slowly, methodically, pick off his targets, moving carefully so that his prey could never truly pinpoint his location. However, with the scenery being what it was, he knew that his normal approach would be ineffectual. Therefore, he found he was forced to take a more active role. It was oddly unnatural for him—probably because he had become used to dealing with things in a subtle, underhanded manner, and the straightforward approach was uncomfortable to him. He figured that it wouldn't hurt to recall the manner of behavior, because not all situations could be diffused with subtlety—he had learned that the hard way.

The battle had progressed in an interesting fashion. It was as if he and Danny were the catalysts to the major events that had happened. At first, there weren't many ghosts around, which was fine by Danny and Daniel—get things over with quickly, go back to relaxing and pretending that they were definitely, completely, _totally_ normal.

"How are you doing, kids? Isn't this fun?!" Jack half-bellowed as he joined their group, and Daniel's skill level immediately plummeted with the arrival of the adult.

"I don't know if I'd call this 'fun'," Daniel murmured. "But it is certainly..._interesting_."

_It's funny. Most of these ghosts are non-combatants. They shouldn't _be_ here. Something must have thrown them out of their usual haunts._

Daniel aimed carefully and brought one ghost down, disabling it entirely while not quite killing it. He ran over to it and pinned it with the threat of his gun, having slipped silently away.

"What are you doing here?" he asked softly. "This isn't someplace you should be."

"There's a n-n-natural p-portal here," it answered.

"So? Why use it?"

"Phantom," was the only answer it gave before it succumbed to the damage that Daniel had dealt it.

Daniel stayed where he was standing for a moment, looking at the scene around him. _These ghosts are all refugees of a sort?_ He wondered, letting his gun recharge. _They're all here because they were displaced by Phantom? God, the guy has to be at worse than I am if ghosts are fleeing the Ghost Zone. I give them incentives to stay...Phantom seems to push them away in hordes. Kind of like Pariah Dark, hm? _

"So we meet again, Daniel Masters."

Daniel whirled around, surprised by the voice behind him. What he saw was of little comfort.

"Luna? What are you doing here? Better question: what happened to you?" The ghost looked…well, as close to death as a ghost got. She was flickering weakly, obviously struggling to keep a physical form. There were the shadows of wounds all over her body, and her eyes were haunted.

She smiled bitterly. "Phantom happened to me."

Daniel winced. "I'm sorry."

"You know him?"

"By reputation only," Daniel answered vaguely.

Luna snorted. "His reputation doesn't do him justice—he's a psychotic malevolent bastard; no offense to yourself, of course," Luna replied with a wry smirk. "He has a sadistic streak you don't have."

"Should I be flattered?"

Luna chuckled weakly, "Now _that's_ the Daniel I know."

"Again—what are you doing here?"

Luna shifted nervously, then sighed. "Look. I can't beat him. I'm also to weak to bounce back from whatever he did to me. But, damnit, I _want my revenge._ Since I don't know—or trust—anyone else here besides you—which, by the way, is highly ironic—I've decided to entrust that to you."

"Whoop-de-fucking-do. Why should I care?" Daniel asked casually.

Luna floated over and extended her hand. "Are you going to turn down power?"

Daniel immediately looked intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"No matter what I do, I'm not going to survive. I'd rather not have my entire existence go to waste. I'm going to _willingly_ give you all of my abilities, all my knowledge." Her face twisted in anger. "I don't want my life to have been meaningless. By giving myself to you, I feel like a little part of me will continue past the death of my consciousness. A kind of fleeting immortality."

"You said _all_ of your abilities and knowledge?"

Luna smile was hollow as she nodded. "Do you accept or not?"

"How can I turn down a lady's offer?" Daniel said and took her hand.

Luna chuckled mirthlessly. "That's my Daniel," she murmured. "Dangerous and charming."

Daniel jerked in surprise when, through the connection they had established, Luna, in a fashion, _possessed_ him. It was unlike anything Daniel had felt before, though, for, (usually) when possessed, the possessor's and possessed's thoughts ran on parallel tracks, never melding into the other. For the briefest of disorienting moments, Daniel _was_ Luna. Just as quickly, her conscious faded into Daniel's own, and he was aware of a substantial boost in his natural ghost power—apparently, aside from her knowledge, Luna had also given him the last vestiges of her ghostly energy.

Daniel took a deep breath and resolved to look through her memories and skill set later—he had more important things to do, like help Danny. For, while the ghosts had been forcibly displaced, they still weren't all fuzzy and welcoming to the humans that had invaded their haven.

And the place _was_ their haven. Because of the sleeping entity, most humans had an uneasy feeling whenever they passed by, and, should they have a healthy sense of self-preservation, they went right on by, not bothering to stop and explore. Unlike the Fentons, who seemed to pointedly ignore the little _helpful_ feeling of 'perhaps I shouldn't be here'.

Daniel sighed and shook his head, watching the ghosts fly back and forth, trying to evade and/or stop the Fentons. He briefly stopped suppressing his ghost energy and tried to read the supernatural currents around him.

Fear. Lots and lots of fear. Enough that it was giving him a headache that made him raise his shields again. _My god. In a way, I don't even _want_ to know what kind of damage this fucker has been doing to make ghosts _this _fearful,_ he thought before walking back to where the Fentons were grouped to re-join them in the fight.

As they were fighting, Danny inadvertently used his natural power to deflect a shot that would have hurt his father, which seemed to unlock a veritable _hoard_ of ghosts. This was immensely pleasing to the adult Fentons, but it made the teens nervous.

"Don't use your powers again, okay?" Jazz murmured to Danny as the three of them stood back-to-back, firing off shot after shot, mostly hitting their marks.

"Will do," Danny answered slightly tightly. Daniel smiled faintly at the tone of the teen's voice. He was having a hard time keeping his ghost sense from continually going off, and he knew that Danny didn't have the luxury of being able to control the response to ghostly presences, so he felt a certain amount of sympathy for the younger half-ghost. He also suspected that the teen was itching to go ghost and kick some paranormal butt, but was restrained from doing so since he hadn't figured out how to clone himself and keep his attention divided enough to work on two fronts.

Daniel was pondering making a clone of Danny, but his inability to change the coloration hindered him from putting that plan into action.

As they fought, Daniel secretly harbored a desire that for some reason the entity would be awakened, simply because he wanted to fight it. However, this desire was tempered by the knowledge that its awakening would _probably_ mean only bad things for the Fentons.

He got his wish in a slightly under-handed way—it was _he_ who accidentally woke it, not the Fentons, as he was suspecting would be the case.

He was being pressed in on all sides as the ghosts—who were surprisingly observant—realized that Daniel was the biggest threat to their existences, because whenever he was separated from the Fentons or when the family was distracted, he was _devastating._ The ghosts sought to cut their losses by taking out the most adept.

That he aimed to kill, not capture, was another thing that alarmed the ghosts, making them seek to destroy him, or at least incapacitate him.

Daniel was used to beings trying to kill him, though, so it was nothing he wasn't used to. In fact, he was having a hard time restraining a feral grin. He felt most _alive_ when fighting for his life. That was most likely the driving motivation behind him constantly seeking strong opponents, even though it sometimes meant he lost or barely survived.

Admittedly, it had been over a year since he had last been defeated by a ghost other than his father, but that was details. He wouldn't _dare_ let himself become cocky—that was the most frequent downfall of the strong, and he sought to avoid that like the plague.

The waking of the entity _had_ to have stemmed from Daniel's reaction to a particular threat from a few ghosts. A number of them had banded together to form a larger, stronger ghost, and it fired a blast of energy their way that Daniel knew neither Danny's shield or the ones inherent on the Specter Deflectors would block. He threw up an invisible shield, and almost immediately after the blast was deflected, the ground beneath them _convulsed._

The five mortals staggered, clinging to each other as Daniel watched the entity he had sensed slowly phase out of whatever had kept it in its sleep. It stretched and blocked out the sun briefly with its massive form, making Daniel stare in _hunger_ while the others were simply astonished. Daniel could feel the danger, the sheer _power_ dripping off of the creature, making him itch to call his own power to his hands and engage.

Of course, he couldn't. He quickly adjusted his reaction to that of the Fenton family, and joined in the volley of energy that was sent the ghost's way.

It shook the attack off like a horse shakes off flies, before taking a deep, sleepy breath, dragging power inwards.

Daniel took an unconscious step back, flinching slightly as the ghost's power shot outward in a circle, he instinctively closing his eyes as the wave of power washed over him. He opened them after only a second and his eyes widened marginally. Of the five that were fighting before, only he and Danny remained.

"Hm...why weren't you absorbed?" the ghost asked, its deep, ancient voice scraping along Daniel's nerves.

"_What did you do with my family?"_ Danny yelled, eyes glowing in his anger.

The ghost gave the angry half-ghost a skeptical look. "The humans?" Its many-fingered, clawed hand spread out across its chest, a malignant smile forming on its face. "Why, they're mine now. Slowly, they will dissolve into my being, their lives feeding my own. I'm quite hungry, too, from all my years of slumber."

Daniel rolled his eyes at the conversation between the ghost and Danny. He had faded into the twilight, not bothering to suppress his ghost-signature. The ghost wouldn't be able to sense it—it was still too weak, not to mention focused entirely on Danny—so he would be able to move invisibly without problem.

Danny transformed into his ghost form and launched himself at the ghost, who laughed at him. Daniel took advantage of the battle to observe the ghost, search out its weak point.

From how it was fighting, it was quite strong, and equally as old. Its body wasn't armored all that heavily, but was very resistant to energy attacks. It wasn't all that fast, but had an ability to recover from physical attacks that left Daniel impressed. It seemed to have a deep power well that kept it supplied rather steadily with energy, able to swat Danny around casually, almost playfully. The one thing that it lacked, that made Daniel smirk, was offensive abilities. It dealt damage, but not enough that Danny wasn't able to almost immediately bounce back. What it seemed to be used to doing was outlasting its opponents or frustrating them to the point that they made stupid—meaning 'fatal'—mistakes.

Danny was tiring from being careful not to hurt where he suspected the ghost was hiding his family, Daniel could see that, which meant that it was time for Daniel to make his move.

Daniel remained invisible and levitated off the ground, using his paranormal senses to seek out whatever part of the ghost didn't _feel_ like a ghost. He finally found the three flickering non-ghost signatures and smirked faintly. He turned intangible and slipped into the ghost. His overall human nature immediately brought him to where the Fentons were caught.

Daniel looked at them and sighed. He had never tried what he was about to attempt, but he figured it was worth a try. While remaining human, he turned intangible and slipped into Jazz. He kept his mind carefully shielded, and triggered his ghost transformation. He looked at the hands of the person he was possessing and smirked faintly as he saw them glowing faintly. He forced a sphere of ghost energy out, creating a probably painful shield around the Fentons, cutting them off from the draining performed by the ghost. With an effort, he concentrated enough to teleport Danny's family out from the ghost.

He immediately vacated Jazz's body and fell to his knees, panting, exhausted. Jazz returned to her normal appearance, making him sigh in relief.

_That was probably a bad decision, but I think I managed to keep things mostly separate,_ he thought, tiredly as he stood.

"What did you do?" the ghost demanded, and Daniel stood slowly, his eyes locking onto its angry, glowing eyes.

He gave the ghost his most Vlad-like, smug, superior smirk and tilted his head slightly, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Danny saw his family was safe and gave Daniel a grateful smile before attacking the ghost with renewed gusto. Daniel looked down at the Fentons and knelt next to them, seeking out their pulses, just making sure that they were alive and well.

Finding Jazz's pulse was easy. It was steady, strong, and she simply _looked_ well. Her face was a healthy color, her breathing was even and deep. He was just amused by the two or three grey hairs that were in her flame-bright hair. She, Daniel felt, would recover easily.

It was much harder to find a pulse on Maddie and Jack, which made him uneasy. That they also looked physically less healthy made him worry. Perhaps they were, in some way, still connected to the ghost?

Daniel turned his eyes to their ghostly form, and restrained his reaction only through an effort of will. They were indeed still connected, and the connection was growing stronger with each second. Daniel looked at the two in slight trepidation and sighed.

_Perhaps what I did with Jasmine is what freed her? It's worth a try...but, damnit, these are Danny's parents and I don't want to run the chance that they might find out something I don't want them to._

Daniel looked up at the ghost. _The other option I have is to destroy the connection from within the ghost itself. Right now, I'd rather take that chance than face Danny's parents._

That decided, Daniel stood and forced himself invisible again, and staggered, it _painful_ to use the ghost energy he had left. He was running on empty, which always was a bad decision, but he had no choice. He phased into the ghost once more and became tangible and visible, emphasizing his human nature, making himself seem so much more...tempting, perhaps?...than the others that there was a connection to.

Daniel jerked when tethers latched onto him, biting back a scream. He yanked hard on the other connections he could feel and snapped them away from Danny's parents. This time he _did_ scream as the severed connections wrapped around him, seeking to drain his _human_ energy. He convulsed and curled in on himself.

_I don't have enough energy on my own to break free!_ He thought, panicking. He pushed the emotion from his mind and forced himself to calm down. _Wait...you're as good as this one is at energy absorption. Turn this connection against him._

Daniel closed his eyes and pulled the strands that bound him into his hands, eyes opening as he saw the lines burying into his wrists, crawling up his arms in an effort to get to his heart. He felt out the particular signature of the ghost before deliberately pulling the lines into himself, attaching them to his ghost core. With a fairly sadistic smile he reversed the flow of energy until he was drawing energy out of the ghost and into him, strengthening him while weakening the entity.

It took a few minutes for the ghost to realize what was happening, and it tried desperately to remove the connection it had with whatever had invaded it without its knowledge. Daniel, however, clung stubbornly, and it was only with an immense effort from the ghost that it managed to expel Daniel, making the half-ghost tumble over himself and lose his breath as he hit the ground, forming a small trench as he skidded. Daniel picked himself up and dusted himself off with a small smirk, completely unharmed. He picked up his gun and walked towards the ghost, who was regarding him with something akin to shock. Danny was lying not to far away, reverted back to his human form, obviously exhausted and near beaten.

It was Daniel's turn.

Daniel moved faster than the tired ghost would have expected and was surprised by the anti-ghost rays enhanced by Daniel's own ghost energy, leaving holes that healed only slowly, telling Daniel that he had done significant damage—although Danny had obviously helped. The ghost tried to keep up with Daniel, but using clones and illusions, Daniel had it swiping at air, panicking and growing enraged as it thought it was being defeated by a mere _human_. Daniel eventually climbed up its long neck and delivered a debilitating shot to the spot where spine would connect to skull, should it have internal structure.

Daniel was astonished when it did. _Well. I suppose it isn't _entirely_ a ghost, then._

He rode it down to the ground before jumping off of its shrinking form, kicking it over onto its back once it was the size of an adult 's breathing was fast and shallow, but it wasn't from exertion (okay, some of it was)—it was from excitement. His face was an unreadable mask, his body relaxed and steady, his hand not shaking even slightly as he held the barrel of the gun to the ghost's vital point. The ghost looked along the barrel to Daniel and locked eyes with him briefly, before frowning.

"Who _are_ you? I know you not among hunters, both ghostly and non. I had heard of these...Fentons, as well as the ghost-boy, but you are unknown to me."

"Does it matter?" Daniel replied, voice devoid of any emotion to work off of. "It took me a little while, but I know _you_ now." He was bluffing, but he _did_ plan on getting some information on just who he had fought and defeated.

"I didn't think that I was common knowledge, since it was so long ago that I descended into slumber."

Daniel's lips quirked up in a smirk, "I have a broad knowledge of the esoteric, and you are among that knowledge. Enough talk. Good-bye."

"DANIEL, WAIT!"

Daniel dropped his gun before plunging his hand in and grabbing onto the ghost's core, making it jerk in surprise and gasp. With a fluid, eerily practiced motion, Daniel pulled the ghost's core from its body, making it fade into nonexistence, the last remnants of its being cradled in Daniel's hand.

Daniel closed his hand and the energy trickled into him in a slow, controlled stream—it had to be, or else it would overwhelm him. Once it was gone entirely, he was brought back to the present by Danny's angry voice.

"Daniel, _that wasn't necessary!_" Danny hissed at the older teen.

Daniel sighed and looked at the annoyed youth before him. "Of course it was. Why are you complaining? It's gone, everyone is safe. You never bothered about my methods before."

"You didn't kill a ghost in cold blood before!"

Daniel shook his head and refrained from laughing. That wouldn't endear him to the boy. "Danny, I've killed more ghosts 'in cold blood' than you want to know."

"What?" Danny asked, voice a shocked whisper.

"Why do you _care_ about them? What have they done to you except make your life difficult? Why _don't_ they deserve death?"

"Nothing _deserves_ death!"

"Right. You go tell the Observants that. In the Ghost Zone, corporal punishment isn't only condoned, it's the way that they deal with ghosts that get out of hand."

"That doesn't mean it's _right_."

"Might _makes_ right," Daniel replied calmly. "It doesn't matter if it's the Human World or the Ghost Zone—if you have power, you make the rules."

"_Power isn't everything_!"

"Yes, Danny, it _is_," Daniel snapped, temper waxing. "Look around you! It's fucking _everywhere_! Popularity, money, influence, physical strength, mental prowess, education, social standing...even _you_ hold power."

"What?"

Daniel shook his head slowly. "You have ghost _powers_. You use them for what you _think_ is the right thing, at least for humans. But it is power nonetheless. People _fixate_ on you, idolize you, some might even fantasize about you. _That_ is a kind of power. Your strength in ghost _powers_ also allows you to _command_ power. You are respected in _this_ Ghost Zone because of your strength. That respect, if carefully cultivated, can turn into something more." Daniel paused. "You have more power than you think you do, more influence than you can ever imagine."

"But I don't take advantage of that!"

"Oh, really now?" Daniel drawled. "How many times have you used it to your advantage to slip between trouble's fingers? How often have you used your identity as the ghost boy to try and seduce Paulina? How often have you been just a _little_ too forceful when dealing with ghosts, using them as an excuse to release all the pent-up emotion that you hold inside you, hmmm?"

"STOP IT!"

Daniel fell quiet and simply _looked_ at the flustered teen.

"You sound like Vlad," Danny growled.

"Funny, you wouldn't think that considering _I've lived with him for nearly four years_ and _he_ helped me pick up the pieces of my shattered Self," Daniel said dryly.

"That's no excuse! What happened to me to make you this way?"

Daniel's eyes flashed at the accusatory tone. "Do you _really_ want to know, Danny? Do you _really_ want to understand what had a hand in twisting me to the point that you are unable to recognize what shreds of you are left in me?" Daniel's voice was soft and dangerous.

Danny hesitated before getting the stubborn look on his face that Daniel knew so well...considering he had seen it on his own. "Yes."

Daniel paused before nodding slowly. "Very well."


	19. Past

**Author**: I am _ridiculously_ nervous about posting this chapter. I know Daniel's past and motivations, but it's so much harder to put down and I don't know if others will consider them valid...ah, well. Here it is. Also, _please_ vote for what story you would like to see written next. There's a poll on my profile page. Much love and cookies if you do. Again, another huge thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, alerts, whatever. Your support is endlessly flattering.

**Disclaimer**: Still doesn't belong to me.

**Chapter 19**

I suppose there are three things that changed me from being who I was to who I am now:

The first was breaking my trust in humans.

The second was breaking my belief in ghosts as moral agents.

The third was breaking _me_.

Each of these left scars, wounds that will never fully heal. The trauma I experienced doesn't _not_ leave a mark. These things, these injuries, define who I am now.

I suppose you will be wanting an explanation as to what occurred to make all the above happen, won't you?

Of course.

You already know how _I_ broke, so I don't need to extrapolate on that.

Otherwise...let's see...

There's no one thing that I can truly point to as being the reason that my trust in humans was broken. It was more of a...a..._sum_ of things. Little things that tapped at the foundation I had built my Self upon and left cracks that slowly added up to bring me down.

First, _try_ to imagine this scenario. I don't think you will be able to—not entirely, at least—but try to put yourself in this situation:

In the morning you wake up feeling good, sure of yourself and with hope for your future. That evening, you're staring up at your bedroom ceiling as other people make arrangements for you to stay with your next-of-kin—or, at least, those who will take you—and that the first and last thing on your mind is, "I want to die."

That was the start of it all. That one, little, nasty thought—I want to die. Only _guilt_ kept me alive, strange as it is to say.

Next, think of debilitating exhaustion coupled with unnatural paranoia. Think of going to bed each morning hoping that you won't wake up the next day. Try to imagine feeling that each movement, each breath, is almost too much effort to survive. Speech is laborious, and you have nothing worth saying, and when you _do_ force yourself to speak, it comes out all jumbled and wrong, semantically sound but with no clear sense or meaning. Movement is occasionally impossible, and you find yourself frozen in place, struggling to move but your body just won't obey you. Everything about you is in slow motion. Your own well-being is unimportant—you forget little things, like eating, sleeping, bathing. It's just not worth your time because _you_ aren't worth your time. No-one else is either.

Think of having a creeping sensation up your spine, that constant feeling of being watched, of things flitting on the edge of your sight and knowing that they're not ghosts...but not quite sure if they're really there or just in your head. Ponder every waking moment being tormented by internal accusations and not wanting to sleep because of the memories that play themselves endlessly in your head, catching you in an eternal loop of pain and sorrow. Insidious whispers echo through your mind, distracting you and causing your thoughts to fly in a thousand different directions.

Your body is motionless but your mind is pulled apart.

And all this stuff is occurring _every single moment._ All of it is in your head, and all of it reverberates through your body and soul without anyone else noticing the sheer agony you're in.

Couple all that with going to brand new schools, dealing with brand new _lifestyles._ You are surrounded by people you don't know with a social code and hierarchy that you can't being to comprehend because it's outside your range of experiences and expectations.

Try to imagine watching everything you used to hold dear get trampled upon and laughed at. Imagine being swung between being harassed for your behavior and being sucked-up to for your connections. Everyone wants something _from_ you while caring not a whit _for_ you, and all the while your sense of self-worth is deteriorating.

Then, allow yourself one ray of hope that things might turn out okay afterall, if you only have a good friend…only to have that hope crushed brutally _all because of your own weakness._ That is the mindset you must put yourself in to entirely understand the situations I'm about to relate to you.

_You. Are. __**Vulnerable.**_

Of course, it all started with the CAT and the death of everyone I loved.

You know what I regret most about that day? That my last words with my sister were angry ones. I can't go back and apologize to her. I can only hope she knew how much I cared for her...even if she did drive me up a wall.

So, my cheating and the subsequent death of everyone I cared about broke my trust in _me_.

Who was I, to put _my_ desires ahead of everyone else? How _selfish! They_ suffered because of _me?_ No, things didn't work that way. I was Danny Phantom! I _protected_ people, not get them _killed because of my egocentrism!_

But, I _did_ cheat and they _did_ die.

I saw how self-absorbed, how _stupid_ I was and despaired. That my support structure was swiped out from under me, too...well.

Initially I was passed around my relatives on both sides. Mom's first. But when I saw condemnation in their eyes even though they hid it under false sympathy and understanding...I couldn't stand it. I bailed out of that situation quickly.

Then there was Dad's side of the family. Did you know he's the youngest of six? Yeah, I wasn't aware of that either. Until then. Did you know his oldest sister is a lesbian and a lawyer? She certainly beat any homophobia out of me stat—not _literally, _but...

Unfortunately, the situation with dad's side—all of them who were able and willing to foster me—was no better. They weren't cool with my 'infatuation' with ghosts. They treated me gently and kindly, but my interests and education and views on reality were sometimes just too strange for them to handle. I was called "a bad influence on his children" by dad's second-oldest brother.

So, after months of torture I finally contacted the one person I had sworn to never ask for help—my godfather. Vlad. He would understand—he had cheated to get ahead before. He wouldn't condemn my actions. He also was familiar with the whole half-ghost thing.

He took me in with barely any hesitation. He sent a ghost for me immediately after I contacted him, and I was out of dad's youngest older sister's house within the hour, at Vlad's mansion within the day. I was 15 and had barely managed to pass the year of school. I'm still not quite sure how I managed that.

So, the first crack in the foundation was my personal failure.

The next was the sheer _reversal_ of morals that I encountered while living with Vlad and going to school with the rich brats that I did.

Oh, _god_. It's almost laughable now, how shocked I was when I was first thrust into sophomore year at a rich private school. Everything that I had learned from my mom and dad, my friends and teachers, was now _completely_ laughed at and trampled upon.

Like what? Well, you tell me what you hold in high regard, how _you_ seek to live your life, and I'll tell you how they reversed it, how I have been made to live.

Honesty? Oh, _god_, don't make me laugh. Honesty was the least of anyone's concern. Initially, I stuck to telling the truth, as I had been taught. The sheer amount of trouble that got me in, though...it was _astounding_. No-one wants to hear the truth. The truth is _ugly_ and _painful._ Better to live in a world of lies and shadows and mirrors than one where one must face the unpleasant realities of life. What's a good example of this?

Ah, _right_. So the kids I went to school with were rich and quite bored with life. When you have everything to start with, nothing seems worthwhile. One day, one of the more wealthy patron's sons died. The cause of death? Overdose on a number of designer drugs. No-one was _really_ shocked, but everyone had to fake it...save for his parents. They _were_ quite shocked.

How could their kid get his hands on such potent contraband? How did they miss the changes in his behavior?

You want to know how they missed everything? _Because they didn't want to see._ The signs were simply too blatant to be missed unless one was deliberately deceiving oneself. They ignored the sudden, dramatic drops in their son's savings account, his changes in appearance and behavioral patterns, ignored how his friends changed...people will not see what they do not want to see.

Do you want to know how they explained it away to themselves?

_It's just a phase. He's just doing that teenage rebellion thing. Everything will turn out okay—he'll come to his senses._

Except, he never did. Because for his parents—and for him, too, since he was on some heavy duty feel-good stuff—a lie was more comfortable and acceptable than the truth.

Lying has also kept me alive—metaphorically and literally speaking—more times than I care to count. Then again, you know that very well, don't you, with _your_ secret and what you've had to do to protect it and yourself? White lies, half-truths, full lies...intent matters, doesn't it? Honesty was pointless. I stopped being honest—to all but you and my father—a long time ago.

A good example of when _I_ lied? Dear god, in the past few years, when _haven't_ I lied? Well, I've never lied to _you_. But, yes, I have lied to other people since I've been here. I wouldn't have housing if I didn't weave some lies, and very convincing ones at that.

Oh, come _on_. There are no records of me _anywhere._ At all. If I didn't lie I wouldn't have an apartment, a job, health insurance, etc. To be able to live I've had to learn how to lie. Admittedly, I'm not as good as my father, but I doubt I will ever be.

I'm allowed to lie to myself, yes, because if I didn't I wouldn't be able to live with myself. My acceptance of the need to lie, the recognition of the necessity of clothing my words and actions in appearances while hiding the truth of the matter was another break in the foundation.

What other tenets do you hold dear?

Ah, the whole "Golden Rule" business. Do unto others as you would have done unto you, indeed.

Pure and utter nonsense. If I treated others in the manner I wish to be treated I would be taken advantage of _so_ fucking fast. That actually happened before I learned that the Golden Rule had been put on the shelf and had been collecting dust for years. It was only touted out when someone wanted to appear in the right or pious. _No-one_ believed it, save for me.

That changed, of course.

An example? Well, I guess a good one would be when I was helped someone at school. _I_ knew of their innocence, even though they were blamed for something trivial that would nonetheless get them in enormous amounts of trouble. So, I stood up for them against their accusers and vouched for them with the Authority in the school. Needless to say, they got off scot-free, probably because of my connections.

You want to know what they did to repay me?

When _I_ was brought up against false charges, they were one of those who testified _against_ me. In fact, I think they might have been one of the ones to set up everything.

Therefore, I suppose the way of putting the general way of living of those who I interacted with on a daily basis was "Do unto others what you need to get ahead while keeping yourself protected." It's a very solipsist culture.

Sorry. Big word. Solipsist is...nothing in the world exists but me. Everything that exists outside me exists because I believe it exists. Once I die, everything dies because without me nothing _is_.

Interesting, huh?

This allows for the breakdown of the Golden Rule business. If nothing and no-one _is_ without me expressly wishing it, then everything is for my use because I wouldn't have anything that I can't use around. So, the Golden Rule exists not as no-one but _me_ exists. I treat myself as I wish to be treated and don't have to worry about anyone else because no-one else matters. They're all figments of my imagination.

Anything else?

Danny, my life _revolves_ around the seven deadly sins. You do remember what those are, right? Lust, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Pride, Gluttony, Envy.

Lust is fucking—no pun intended—omnipresent. Lust for power, for wealth, for sex...it's everywhere. People use their bodies as weapons, as tools, and seduction has been perfected to an art. Lust is very heavily taken advantage of.

Hm? Me? I don't know. I don't really _crave_ anything, save sanity, but that's not in the cards for me. Everything was incredibly discreet, for the most part. Lust was a heavy driving factor behind many people, though. I like to think I sidestepped that bullet.

Wrath. You know me, I don't anger easily, so I like to think I also avoided that. But, there was no lack of wrathful—vengeful, really—characters in my school. Real or imagined slights set people off, made them work _hard_ at 'getting back' at people. Revenge is an ugly emotion. I've only really felt it once and that's not a story I like telling, so we shall set it aside for now. No, seriously. That story is _not_ getting told any time soon.

Sloth...well, you have a family who has _everything_ the world says you could ever need or want and you become lazy. Why do something when you can have other people do it for you? Sloth was also one of those omnipresent sins. I mean, I knew a kid who paid others to take his tests. That's just..._ridiculous._

Greed. Whoo boy. Do I really even _need_ to describe just how much greed was floating in the air? It was like a...a...miasma, a dust that coated everything it touched. Always there was an undercurrent of 'more more more more more' . Even the ghosts that roamed the school wanted _more_, which is why they picked fights with me constantly until I showed them that I wouldn't take any more shit from them. I won't say I desire nothing, but I was less inclined to _more_. In the beginning, I was simply too overwhelmed by the sudden opulence. Later it came from disdain and the ability to recognize what was _really_ important.

People, of course. Connections between people is tantamount to any material good.

Well, yeah, that too, but that goes without saying.

Gluttony. Hmm...this was more subverted than anything else. Anorexia and bulimia were rampant among the girls in my school. Not that there weren't a few gluttons among us, but gluttony was looked down upon, primarily because it was counter to the perfect body. I don't find myself to be particularly gluttonous, but I could be wrong. I think my financial constraints keep me from being that way now.

Envy. I was the subject of this so much that I still have a lingering sense of eyes always on me, waiting for me to slip up so they can rejoice.

What's that quote? "Every time a friend succeeds, a little part of me dies."

I've become _very_ good at recognizing the envious and seek to dispose of them as soon as possible, usually through pretending to have a fault, or emphasizing my luck in getting where I am. As long as people believe that _they_ can have what _I_ have with just the right mixture of providence and skill, I manage to diffuse the bomb that could ruin me. Envy is _dangerous._ I've seen the results of envy far, far too often and things have never ended well.

Pride. Sweet mother of god, the pompous bastards I've come across! I like to think I'm not one of them—I don't suffer from vainglory, that's for fucking sure—but I swear, if the egos of those in my school took up actual physical space, there would be no way for anyone to move. Inflated self-importance like _woah_. Problem was that they were constantly fed more praise that only increased their distorted concept of their own self-worth. I can't wait for the real world to dish them out some much-needed humbling.

Of course, exceptions existed for any number of reasons. There were some who exhibited all of these, one who manifested none. Some acquired bits over time, but no-one was free of their influence. I know I'm a casualty of these every now and then, as are you. As is anyone. The only way to avoid these isn't holiness—it's indifference, for the most part. Indifference about oneself, about others, material things, station, accomplishments, you name it. It's amazingly easy to be indifferent when depressed and at a distance.

There was no belief of things in moderation—there was no need to moderate oneself anyway. Most tycoons don't make the news unless something _big_ happens, and a teenager acting out is nothing new. The only time it attracts attention is when the teen is past 16 and is the son or daughter of a _really_ famous person. You know, like me. Which is why I've had to learn how to act.

You have no idea how much of a relief it is not to have to constantly be worrying about paparazzi hiding somewhere. Anyone would do _anything_ to get a scoop on my father and/or myself. The circumstances of my adoption have never been brought to light, my disease has never made it out into common knowledge...aside from having moles in almost every major publishing company, we've both acquired a heightened sense of our surroundings.

It's like a trouble sense, I guess. It's that uncomfortable prickle on the back of your neck that tells you someone is watching you. Most people ignore it, but my father and I pay attention, and have gotten rid of more rolls of film and memory chips than I care to remember as a result of listening to it. You'll see. When you become famous for being who and what you are, you'll learn to listen to that feeling, too.

What, you don't _honestly_ believe that you'll be able to keep your secret forever, do you?

Well, Vlad's an interesting story. He came into his abilities when he was in college and _did_ slip up a few times. Polite, forceful persuasion got people to shut up. If he's made a mistake or three, I am sure you will.

Hm? Me? Are you nuts? I have more to lose than either of you. Why do you think I've learned how to use almost all of my ghost powers while remaining in human form? The more I can do, the less people will be able to connect Daniel Masters with Danny Fenton with Danny Phantom. I've told _one_ person outside of you, and, well, Jasmine, in a manner. I can't _afford_ to mess up. Not with my past, my present, my future...

Danny, I'm sure you'll be _fine_. People like heroes. Everyone wants someone to do the "Right Thing" so they don't have to. You'll be accepted, no worries.

Yes, even by your parents who claim they want to tear you apart molecule by molecule. They love you, in their own bizarre way.

Ha? Me? Love? Are you crazy_?_ I can't _afford_ to let myself love.

You're touching upon a very sore subject, Danny. Drop it.

Thank you.

You'll be glad to know there's one thing that I've stuck by that most would consider 'moral'.

_I don't cheat._

Seriously.

Danny, you know why.

I don't tolerate others cheating, either. However, after making the mistake of directly involving authority figures, I've kept to taking care of cheaters on my own, especially because I can be much more subtle than authority can. I move like a careful surgeon—every cut I make is calculated to leave the smallest mark while doing the most damage. Authority is like a caveman—it bashes things into submission, making a big show while doing effectively very little. I break the skin while authority merely scratches the surface. I'm much more effective. I mean, yeah, I still involve Authority, since it makes a lot of noise, but _I_ am the one who sets things in motion.

Hm? Well, I remember catching two people cheating off their tests together—which, is of course a no-no—and just _happened_ to make it so that even though they finished at different times, that the two tests would end up being read one after the other.

Needless to say, they were caught, shamed, and flunked the test without possibility of retake. I had also covertly dropped little hints and news and gossip around the biggest talkers in the school, and sooner than anyone would have believed _everyone_ knew what had happened. The two had learned their lesson and no-one knew it was I who had orchestrated their elaborate and thorough disgrace. Mission accomplished.

Oh, come _on_. You have problems with how I do the _moral thing?_ Christ. I'm so glad I don't have that stick up my ass anymore.

Temper, temper, Danny. See what I mean about even you being subject to the Seven? What else?

Doing the "Right Thing?"

Oh, _please_, Danny. You should know by now that there _is_ no "Right" and "Wrong." Just different shades of gray.

Moving on.

Oh. _That_.

Impossible. _You_ use them for personal gain, you know.

Whether you believe it or not is not my concern.

No, seriously, I'm not lying.

_Think_ about it. You use them to escape trouble, escape consequences. You use them for personal gain.

Well, no. I don't use my ghost powers in the business dealings I've done. I don't need to overshadow people to bend them to my will. The best part is that they hand themselves over _willingly_. Manipulation is an easy, relaxing game once you figure out the rules. No ghost powers needed. However, I _will_ use my ghost abilities when asserting dominance over ghosts and the paranormal. I use them for gain in _that_ sector, but that's expected.

Well...let's just say I have more sway over ghosts in my time than you have in yours. I get them to listen to me and do what I want them to do when I want them to do it. I've acquired a great deal of control.

All these things I discovered through my interactions with ghosts, my Self, and the people around me.

Admittedly, there were two things that _really _solidified the superiority of that way of living than my former one...

Well. The first story is painful, in a way. It was a...a..._rebuttal_ of everything that I had come to base myself upon.

It's a story of when people lashed out at me for being Danny Phantom. For fighting the good fight. For trying to _help them._

I still feel a little depressed by it. It marked the beginning of the end for both Danny Phantom and Danny Fenton.

Freak, they called me. Monster. Egotistical. Self-centered. Demon. Everything but hero. Not a single thank-you. They hurled insults at me and their words cut worse than any weapon.

Never believe it when anyone tells you words can't hurt you. _They're lying_ and you know it. I see it sometimes in your eyes when you got lost in thought while ignoring some homework assignment or another. There are words that haunt you worse than any ghost could. Words that have seeped into your mind, into your _soul_ and have set up residence, a constant ache and reminder of a failure or some kind.

Am I not correct?

Of course.

I know that stuff like that has happened before and we've survived it stronger for the experience, but you must remember the state of mind I was in at the time. I had just killed my parents and was teetering unsteadily on my mental supports.

What I did was a little thing, really. All I did was the usual for you—save civilians from certain death. Boy, was I shocked when they turned on me.

"Who do you think you are?" one demanded. "You're just some costumed _freak_!" she yelled and swung at me. I didn't bother to evade because I knew it would only barely hurt. My shock and her anger were enough to keep me paralyzed anyway.

I didn't even flinch when she connected, which perhaps shocked her more than anything else I could have done. This, of course, also damned me further, because not only was I a superhero wannabe, I actually _had_ some of those powers that superheroes so often do. I also didn't falter under her anger and fear, which is what she wanted me to do more than anything else, I think. I had made her feel helpless, and that, more than anything else, pisses people off.

People like to believe that they are masters of their own fate, that they don't need help, even though it's a _lie_. Everyone needs others.

Mob mentality took over, which was a sucky thing to happen. People who had once been grateful for the rescue turned against me. Energy and anger built off each other until I had to disappear or risk being physically hurt. As it was, the mental damage was done.

You really want more detail? Fine, make me relive a part of my life I hate.

It was spring. That much I remember clearly, one of the few clear memories I have of that year after the death of my family. I was out with people I had tentatively claimed as friends. I was out for the day, just walking around the nearest mall. I don't even remember the names of the people I was traveling with.

Ah, well. It doesn't matter. It didn't then, and it sure as hell doesn't matter now.

Anyway, at that time ghosts still had a predilection to search me out and seek to defeat me. I've never had patience for that, especially when they try to take advantage of a crowded area. Skulker showed up trying to capture me, seeking to force me to submit using the entire place as a hostage. I took offense to that and refused, fighting against him. To try and force my hand even more, he physically captured a group of people and held them over a trap that would ensure their demise.

We fought, I won. There was collateral damage, no-one really cared. During the time, people did the smart thing and stayed away from the fight. Self-preservation seems to run strong in everyone but your family.

Danny, we _have_ established that I've actually received training in martial arts. You can't land a finger on me unless I let you. Will you let me continue?

I released all the captives, exhilarated. My exhilaration didn't last all that long, though.

Apparently some blamed me for their capture in the first place, which was justified. Their fear and helplessness came about because of me, so instead of being happy that they were still alive and safe, everyone came to focus more on that helplessness and turned on me.

No-one I had been with had noticed my absence in the panic and fear, and the dissent and unhappiness that was still rampant once I had vanished and reappeared with my 'friends' kept them from noticing that fact.

There's one thing to be said about people—they rarely ever notice anything. At all. It's _pathetic._

But, that basically showed me that I wasn't in Kansas anymore, that I wasn't _wanted_ anymore. So, Danny Phantom faded from the public eye, and wasn't missed at all. He was a fad, a trend. People stopped believing in ghosts, and with my disappearance, ghost attacks went down. Without an enemy to fight, there's no desire for a fight. I learned to suppress my ghost signature then, so Skulker effectively had no-one to hunt and no ghost could find me unless I slipped up.

There was...one other thing that broke my faith in humanity. It's...an even harder story to tell.

That wasn't the last straw for my former self. I could excuse everything that had been done to me before, but the situation that truly broke my former Self-concept...

Ah, fuck.

…

I'm sorry. It's a painful memory. I need a little bit of time to gather myself. I've been through a lot of shit in my life, but this one still hurts. Ha, I wouldn't have that it would. It's been so long and I've changed so much...but I still remember the deep hurt I experienced, the sense of vertigo and loss and despair and...

Alright, I can do this.

At that point, I still believed in the "inherently-good" view of humanity. When I saw that, for the most part, people can be self-serving and sadistic..."evil" in a way...well. I had been living with Vlad for less than a year. It was prior to me breaking, however. I was 15 at the time.

I...shit, I didn't think it would be this hard to talk about.

I was invited to a party, and I thought it was a step in the right direction. Meant I was being accepted, liked. Even though not using my ghost powers daily was a strange thing, I didn't see it as being too much of a sacrifice.

Oh, how _wrong_ I was. I can't believe I was that _stupid_ now. But, hindsight is 20/20, right?

Remember I told you all about how drugs affect half-ghosts? How do you think I found out about all that kind of stuff? Magic?

No, I was..._subjected_ to that. I don't like drugs. At the start it was, again, because of what I learned when I lived with my birth-family. Later, though, it was because of that particular experience, along with a few others.

Vlad was suspicious of the motives of the other kids, but I still tried to see the best in people, so I went, ignoring his warnings as paranoid and baseless.

That was only the first time he got to say "I told you so" and I couldn't do a thing in response. He has had a number of opportunities after that, although I have had my own; granted, they have been much fewer than he has had, but, still. Then again, he _is_ a master at what he does while I'm still learning.

Yes, I intend on continuing to walk more or less the same path as I am now. I don't mind it; I enjoy it in fact. If that isn't telling about who we are, I don't know what is.

I'll continue my story...or at least, try to.

So, I arrived at my destination, slightly nervous—I couldn't help but hear Vlad's warnings in my head, and my instincts have a fairly good track record. I was beginning to regret my decision, but I couldn't just take it back. I had said I would attend, so I would, whether or not I wanted to anymore. I could always make an appearance and then leave.

With that plan making me feel slightly better, I hesitantly approached the mansion. I was still getting used to the whole 'enormous-house-for-a-few-people' thing.

I had been invited by someone I was considering a friend, so I had put at least some trust in him. I figured that, if all went south, I could trust him to hold my best interests at heart.

Oh, sorry. I can't help but laugh at the irony now. How _blind_ I was, how _stupid_. That experience certainly opened my eyes to just how people _truly_ are.

So I knocked and was let in by people who I recognized in passing from school. They seemed pleasant and cheerful, which I took as good signs.

I wasn't aware of how people reacted to chemicals in their blood. Should I run across them again I would have been well aware that they were high off their asses. But, lack of experience left me in the dark.

They brought me to wherever the party was being held, and my instincts were already tipping me off that something wasn't quite right.

"Where are his parents?" I asked my escorts.

"Away for the weekend," was the slightly slurred, chipper answer.

"Oh..." I murmured, uneasy.

I was brought to a large area, as grand as almost anything I had seen since moving in with my foster-father. But...something was off about it. The lights were too dim, there were too many people too close...

In my blessed naivete, I assumed that they were simply trying to create a certain kind of atmosphere...like it was theme party or something. Well, it was a theme party, but the theme wasn't anything as simple as 'ghosts' or the like. It was something darker, more sinister and subtle that I was too inexperienced to pick up on.

I greeted people as I normally would, and, to my surprise, they said hello right back, pleasant as could be. I tried to use that to allay my fears, but my instincts were still _screaming_ at me to go ghost and fly away fast and far. That party was officially the last time that I ignored my instincts. They've kept me alive more times than I care to remember. When offered food and drink I insisted that I wasn't hungry—Vlad had told me to not eat the food, and even though I thought he was full of shit, I found myself listening to his advice—and asked for non-alcoholic drink.

They laughed and commented about how _cute_ I was for asking for such a thing and gave me something that they assured me wasn't alcoholic.

I shouldn't have believed in their intentions. I was at least able to tell that they weren't lying when they said that whatever liquid they gave me didn't have alcohol in it. I didn't take the time to think that perhaps it could be spiked with other things that were dissolvable, left little to no taste and no residue.

To this day I still haven't figured out exactly what kind of cocktail they made. It left my head spinning and utterly destroyed my will. I was no longer a volitional creature—my mind was racing so fast that I couldn't keep up and therefore my mind became a kind of white-wash of emotion, images, and ideas. It was almost as if I gave up trying to keep track of my own thoughts, and so began to look for things outside me to tell me what to do.

This might be why I was so late in figuring out just how _sick_ I am.

In any event, it didn't take long for those around me to figure out that my mind had descended to the state that I would do _anything_ they told me to...no matter how ridiculous. The bad part is that I remember _everything that happened._ Most people have the luxury of coming down and remembering very little, but, _god_...I can still recall everything with crystalline detail.

A little part of me was always aware and horrified. Not just at myself, for what I was doing, but for the others who were taking advantage of me in my less-than-volitional state.

I don't want to tell you. Everything was meant solely to humiliate me, to manipulate me, to drag me off of my 'moral high-horse' to their low, base level.

And, goddamnit, it _worked._

Even when drugged out of my mind, I couldn't deny the reality of the situation—if I didn't change from the way I was, I wouldn't survive, not in the society I was living in. I saw the _evil_ in people. Saw how dark, malignant, manipulative, sadistic...and then saw that the only way to survive was to mirror them. That was when I started to hate myself, and I _did_ have reinforcement for that. Inward reinforcement.

My spiral accelerated after that.

When I finally gained enough volition to be able to leave on my own, I was absolutely disgusted with myself and the people around me.

...you _really_ want me to tell you what happened to me. Seriously? I don't know if I _can_. It's too demeaning. It makes me sick to think it was _me_.

I mean, yeah, I guess that talking about it would make it marginally less twitchy, but, still...

Fine...fine.

Mm...well. In the beginning, it was nothing major. I bet they thought that I was just trying to fit in. So it was stupid things, little feats of flexibility and strength that shouldn't have been possible for a normal person, that were, unfortunately, quite feasible for me.

Seeing that and seeing that I was apparently too far gone to object to doing anything...it went from being physical feats to...other things.

Filch things, pull pranks on people too far gone to care—and some not quite so gone. The demands got more and more outrageous until someone came up with the bright idea to _use_ me.

See why I don't like telling this particular story?

That thankfully was enough of a shock to the system—or, perhaps, it had simply been long enough—to pull me out of whatever haze had been induced. I started to object, to resist. They tried to force me, thinking I was being coy, but it got through to them once I started to physically fight back that I wasn't gone anymore.

The mocking started soon afterwards, and because my body was too exhausted and my ghost reserves seem to have been blocked I couldn't escape. I wasn't good at verbal fencing yet either, so my own replies fell rather flat and childish.

Again, don't believe _anyone_ who says that words can never hurt you. In the long run, words are far more damaging than any physical injury because they _never go away._ Physical ails will fade and heal over time, usually. Mental wounds caused by words can fester and torment you for years on end. Trust me on this one.

Once I gained full control of my body again, I beat a quick retreat. I was so _humiliated_ that I didn't even consider calling my father's chauffeur to come and pick me up. I went ghost far from anyone else and phased out of the house, taking off in a random direction.

When I finally came back to my senses, I was horrified to discover that I was hovering over the old Fenton Works. I immediately turned tail and flew away, not wanting anyone in the town to recognize me. Eventually, I made my way back to the mansion and phased through everything until I reached the room I was given. I immediately fell out of my ghostly form and collapsed, sobbing and shaking.

The voices that had been itching at the back of my mind came to full-bloom the very next day.

Everything that I've recounted was the first thing that broke me and shaped me into the person that you see before you.

-

Danny stared before shifting nervously, giving Daniel a brief, pitying look before realizing his mistake at the dark scowl he received.

Daniel growled. "Look. It's in the past. There's nothing I can do to change it now."

"Still...having that stuff happen to you...really, _really_ sucks."

"You certainly have a way with words," Daniel drawled, making Danny chuckle weakly.

"Jazz knows about you and me, doesn't she?" Danny asked after a moment, changing the topic.

"And what she doesn't know for sure she's _probably_ guessed. There's only one thing that I'm pretty sure she hasn't guessed, and _that_ will remain unspoken just in case she happens to be eavesdropping. That's how she confirmed a lot of what she had probably hypothesized. She listened in on my NYC mob story."

"Really?" Danny half-exclaimed.

"I wasn't entirely sure until I confronted her and observed her carefully. But, 'twas easy enough to put together what she had learned of me once I set my mind to it. I can read people very easily these days as a result of who I've spent some quality time with. If you ask the right questions at the right time you'll have your answers faster than you would ever expect."

Danny looked vaguely impressed, then slightly sad. "Why'd you need to know that?"

Daniel paused, then sighed. "Lots of reasons. Mostly because I didn't want to be hurt anymore, and being well-informed is the best way to keep yourself from being hurt."

The two half-ghosts turned when they heard a groan from behind them, and both watched as Jazz sat up slowly. Danny ran over and flung himself on her, hugging her tightly, asking her questions in a rapid-fire manner that made her smile faintly, albeit slightly shakily.

Daniel shook his head and smiled softly before looking at his hands. _Absorbing that ghost helped me a lot. It knew tons about the past of the Ghost Zone, not to mention a few worthwhile techniques that I would never have thought to develop. Albeit, its dependence on lives outside itself to survive was its main debilitating weakness, but that didn't mean it wasn't strong or smart. It just didn't know how to deal with someone like me._ Daniel sighed inwardly. _I also have to go over Luna's memories. Perhaps...she'll have something about my father?_ The thought made him inexplicably pleased.

"Daniel?" Jazz asked, timidity and nervousness in her voice as she approached him, Danny left to watch over their parents.

Daniel looked over and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Yes, Jasmine?"

"Can I...can I have a word with you?" she murmured quietly.

"Always," Daniel answered. "What is it?" he asked, voice gentle, and he reached out, offering his hand to help stabilize the obviously shaken young woman.

"What did you do to me?"

Daniel hesitated and looked over, wondering if they were far enough away to keep Danny from overhearing. Just in case, Daniel set up a shield around the two of them. "What I did was save you."

"How?"

"I possessed you."

"That shouldn't have been enough to escape that."

Daniel sighed. "I took a chance, but it ended up working. You are unharmed, am I not correct?"

"Yes...yes, I'm fine."

"Physically and mentally?"

Jazz paused, then nodded. "Yes. Both physically and mentally."

Daniel gave her a relieved smile. "Good."

"You're not going to actually tell me what you did, are you?"

"Nope," Daniel confirmed with a small wry smile.

Jazz gave him an exasperated smile. "Well, whatever you did, thank you." Jazz looked over to where Danny was sitting vigil over his parents. "Will they be alright, too?"

"As far as I know, yes. I...helped them in a different way than I helped you, though." Daniel paused and sighed. "We will see."

Jazz looked apprehensive. "When will we know?"

"Whenever they wake," Daniel replied softly, eyes resting on Danny.

Silence hung between them before Jazz finally spoke: "You care about him a lot, don't you?"

Daniel didn't bother looking over at Jazz, and simply nodded slightly. "Yes."

"More than your father?"

Daniel paused and thought. "I care about my father, but I don't _worry_ about him. He's more than capable of taking care of himself. Danny, though...I can _help_ Danny, and because of that I feel responsible, in a way, for him and his welfare." Daniel smirked faintly. "It's an incredibly odd feeling, truthfully."

He saw Jazz shake her head slowly out of the corner of his eye and was treated to a small, affectionate smile. "You're hard to figure out, Daniel."

"I get that a lot," Daniel replied dryly.

Danny's joyous cry brought their attention over to him and Jazz walked slowly over, Daniel watching as the Fenton adults woke.

The smallest of sad smiles formed on his face as he watched the semi-reunion.

_They love each other very much, _he thought fondly, watching them.

He stayed at a distance, much as he did in all things, merely observing. As far as he could tell, the adults had suffered no ill effects of their brief captivity aside from being slightly shaken by the experience.

_Funny. I've changed. Before I would have been burning with envy, much as I did whenever I saw a happy family, shaking my fist at the sky for the injustice that had been visited upon me by taking my own birth-family away. Now, while it is an ache, it's soft, muffled. I'm finally able to distance myself and accept how things are._

Daniel was unaware of the soft smile on his face as he remained standing where he was, silent and pensive.


	20. Interlude: Jazz

**Author**: This is a kind of interlude chapter, taking a look at Daniel and events from another's perspective--in this case, Jazz's. So while this could _technically_ be another chapter, I'm calling it chapter 19.5 Hope you like it!

Also, TONS of love to my wonderful beta, Kotoshin. Her help has done wonders for this. :D

**Disclaimer**: Danny Phantom will never belong to me unless I get reeeeally rich and buy it.

**Chapter 19.5: Jazz's View**

Daniel Masters was an enigma to Jazz, and she was frustrated by that more than she could adequately express.

_He shouldn't be as impenetrable as he is,_ she groused, looking at him in the rear-view mirror, he for all appearances dozing. Her features softened slightly. _Never relaxes, though. He's tense even though he's asleep._

Her eyes drifted from Daniel to Danny, noticing all the differences. There was the purely physical—Daniel was taller, broader, with a deceptively normal build. The way Daniel walked said that he actually _had_ taken the martial arts lessons he briefly spoke of. His clothes tended more formal than Danny's, and Jazz could easily picture him in a nice three-piece suit with hardly any trouble, although he could obviously dress very casual if he wanted to. In general, there was a sense of more..._polish_...to him than Danny.

There were also the emotional differences, and _those_ were more jarring. For the most part, Danny's motives were transparent, and he wore his heart and emotions on his sleeve, which often got him into a significant amount of trouble. Danny strove to fade into the background, to make people overlook him and not ask too many questions about what he did at the odd moment. He was kind, considerate, fair, and honest (usually—Jazz knew he had a vindictive, mischievous, and slightly spiteful streak that could come to the fore every now and then, making him act like a complete _jerk_, and ended up hurting _him_ as much as the people who were the targets of his less-than-favorable moods). Still, Danny tended to fall squarely on the side of 'good'.

Daniel, however...Daniel was a little more difficult to pin down. Jazz could _never_ read him. His thoughts were never obvious, no matter how much or how carefully she watched him. What was perhaps the most _infuriating_ thing was that he was apparently aware of this. He had caught her eye every now and then when they were in the car, giving her a wry smirk that was meant to tell her that he _knew_ the game she was playing and that he already had all the cards in _his_ hands, but was willing to let her try to even the game.

How he knew that she had listened in on his and Danny's conversation was beyond her. She had been quiet...

_Not enough, apparently._

This wasn't the first time that she had observed him. Because he was becoming such a fixture in Danny's mental and emotional landscape, she had done a little digging on him.

She had come up with almost _nothing_. That in itself was suspicious, so she took the time to watch him at his jobs and when they visited to study with Danny. But no matter how much or how carefully she observed him, he remained inscrutable. The one thing that she _had_ concluded was that how he acted was severely dependent upon who he was dealing with and the situation he found himself in.

So, what did she know for certain about him?

He was Danny...but not in any of the ways that mattered. Danny was open, while Daniel was perhaps the most carefully controlled person she had ever met—perhaps even more controlled than Vlad. Vlad has his moments of candidness, of weakness. Daniel, though...she had yet to see him vulnerable in any sense of the word.

He was 19, and Jazz had no reason to doubt that fact. She didn't know for sure whether or not Daniel really was a half-ghost, as she had never seen him transform into or out of a ghost form. But, since Danny believed it, Jazz felt she could as well. The way he had handled the Specter Deflector said that he had enough ghostly energy to make holding it uncomfortable, and the way he had used the weapons when he thought no-one was looking said that he had fought ghosts before—many times.

Jazz also had no doubt that Daniel was indeed Vlad's adopted son; it was in the way he behaved that evoked the image of a younger, less experienced Vlad. She felt that while he was akin to the man, there were still some differences...one of them being that he didn't seem quite so obsessive. Which was a good thing.

There was something off about him, however. Jazz wasn't certain what it was, couldn't entirely place it, but how he behaved that time he stayed for dinner had told her something wasn't entirely _right_ with the teen. Then again, seeing your family die in front of your eyes would make someone slightly less stable than normal. It might be PTSD. Jazz wasn't sure though...but her gut told her it was something deeper than that.

However, Danny _knew_ things about Daniel that the older teen wasn't telling anyone else, and Jazz felt that the reverse was also true.

_Why the unconditional trust between them?_ She wondered, looking between the two of them again. She noticed how Daniel's hand was curled in a kind of possessive/protective manner around Danny's waist, the younger teen deeply asleep on Daniel's shoulder. It was...in a way, cute. She'd ask him which emotion Danny inspired in him, but she would probably get such a convoluted answer that she'd never manage to distill truth from lie entirely.

She and Danny had spoken about him, once. It had actually been Danny who had brought Daniel up as the topic.

"What d' you think of him?" he had asked, seemingly out of the blue. "Daniel, I mean."

Jazz had tipped her head to the side, lightly stroking her cheek with a finger. "He's...complicated."

Danny had snorted at that, as if it were the understatement of a lifetime (which it probably _was)_. "What makes you say that?" he had asked instead.

"Well, I mean, I haven't talked to him much, but I _have_ seen the differences between how he acts around you and other people, me included."

"You met with him alone?"

She had nodded. "After the first time you met I looked him up."

"Jazz, _c'mon_. I can take care of myself!"

Jazz had smiled and shrugged. "So sue me for being concerned for my little brother."

Danny had sighed huffily, but there was a smile in his eyes.

_There's another difference,_ Jazz thought. _Daniel's eyes are always so guarded. No matter what emotion he may be expressing on his face, it never quite makes it to his eyes. It's like he's always weighing judgement on himself—any show of emotion that is not deliberate is seen as a sign of weakness._

She returned the smile to Danny, who had then asked, "Well, how does Daniel act different around others than me?"

"The few times that I've seen you two interact, there's...a sense that he's treating you like an _equal._ When he's dealing with everyone else, including those older than him, there's a sense that he doesn't quite take them _seriously_ or _genuinely._ When he's speaking with someone younger, there's always a subtle..._maneuvering_. Most people aren't observant enough to notice it, and when they do, he immediately changes how he behaves, hiding it under charm that comes surprisingly naturally to him—of course this, too, remains under the radar for the most part. When he's talking to someone older than he or in a higher position, there's a sense that...he's trying to make them _reliant_ upon him. Trying to draw them into _something_ he's weaving without them—or anyone, really—realizing. He's patient, smart, and so very, very dangerous."

Danny frowned. "Dangerous? Dangerous how?"

"He's sharp. He knows what people expect, can find their insecurities and unconscious wants and manipulate those—and therefore, the person—to his advantage."

Danny frowned, but was obviously thinking hard. "I trust you, but...he's never acted like that around me."

"I told you—he treats you like an equal. Like someone worthy of his regard." Jazz sighed. "He plays word games with me, makes me fight for every piece of information I get from him directly. Most of what I know comes from observing him."

It was true. A lesser person would be completely mystified by Daniel and take everything he said and did at face value, just because it was easier that way, but, thanks to Jazz's natural astuteness, she was able to piece together things that most people would miss. She felt that her mother was seeing even more than she, but was keeping quiet about it until she had a complete and comprehensive conclusion.

In the meantime, Jazz was free to observe him, apparently to Daniel's amusement. It sucked that he seemed to know everything about her, including what happened in the time between when _his_ family died and their present.

She wished that he would actually _talk_ and not run verbal circles around her. The worst part was that her frustration was obviously entertaining to him, so he kept everything he did and said as cryptic as possible, and only small things gave him away—and even then, it wasn't anything major or useful. Just subtle behavioral patterns, not his _thoughts_, his true motivations.

Things he did were contradictory. He would be gentle and teasing with Danny while being polite and derogatory to others in ways that no-one could _truly_ put their fingers on, and so couldn't be certain how to react to him (which, apparently, was the point).

Jazz knew a defense mechanism when she saw one, though. It was natural, it was how he defined himself, but it was to cover up something else, something that he feared and hated, yet accepted as a part of himself.

_That_ was the odd part. Most people ignored or sublimated the parts of themselves that they hated and feared, but in Daniel...it was different. It was as if he had come to the internal resolution of: 'I hate you, but I can't get rid of you, so I'll just have to live with you'.

He was different from most in so many ways that it left Jazz's mind spinning.

"How do you see Daniel?" Jazz had asked after giving her half-analysis of the teen.

Danny had paused and looked thoughtful. "He's hurting."

Jazz's eyebrows had raised slightly. "Really?" She hadn't thought of it that way.

Danny had nodded. "Yeah. But...he's gotten good at pretending he isn't."

Jazz had ruffled her brother's hair and given him a smile. "You're getting good."

Danny had waved the compliment away, but was smiling.

_Hurting, huh?_ Jazz thought, her eyes returning to the road as she thought. _Well, he _did_ suffer a huge amount of trauma seeing us all—wow, that's weird to think—die. That kind of scar stays with you. There're other things, though, I feel. Perhaps he did not come here on his own volition? And he was lying when he said that the time he was having trouble breathing was nothing, and he _totally_ had ice instead of sweat on his forehead from that ordeal._

Jazz sighed softly in frustration and a chuckle reached her ears, making her scowl.

"You're thinking about me again," Daniel said softly, slipping into the passenger-side seat.

Jazz's eyes widened slightly and her eyes flicked to the mirror, only to see Daniel still there...as well as obviously at her side.

"How...?"

"How indeed?"

She received a wicked smirk for her scowl, making her shake her head in frustration. "Did you clone yourself?"

"Perhaps," was the answer she was given, Daniel casually buffing his nails against his shirt. He looked at her, his guarded ice-blue eyes briefly catching hers before he turned to fix his sight on the road that seemed to stretch endlessly before them. "Why do you want to understand me?" he asked after a moment of slightly wary silence.

"Natural curiosity...you're a huge figure in Danny's emotional landscape right now."

The teen made a noise of acknowledgement. "This is true," he murmured. "I just want to tell you that attempting to understand me is a futile and frustrating exercise, as you have undoubtedly noticed."

_Because you _want _it that way_, she thought while saying,"That won't stop me from trying."

Daniel gave her the half-smile Jazz had come to recognize as the closest he came to a genuine smile. "I didn't think it would. You and Danny are alike in that regard."

"Why do you trust Danny like you do? Is it because you are the same person?"

Daniel slowly shook his head. "It's precisely because we _aren't_ the same person that I trust him. I know he talks about me to you and his friends, but he's never betrayed anything I don't want anyone else to know."

"You have many secrets."

Daniel merely shrugged. "We all have our secrets."

"You more than others. Are you honest about your half-ghost nature?"

"Does it matter?"

"Well, you're probably unconsciously setting how Danny should be treating his ghostly self."

"Then ask him."

Jazz frowned. Even though she couldn't quite see him, she could tell Daniel was smirking.

"Do you _like_ being cryptic?"

"Better to say less than more. You need never unsay anything that you didn't say in the first place."

Jazz had to admit this was true. "What made you seek out Danny?"

"It wasn't intentional," Daniel murmured, looking over at Danny. Jazz saw his eyes relax slightly and the ghost of a smile play across his face. "Things just drew us together."

"You really do care for him."

"He's as much my little brother as yours," Daniel murmured and Jazz was surprised at the sincerity and gentleness in his voice. "Although I have the luxury of not living with him," he finished dryly.

Jazz couldn't help but chuckle softly. "It's not that bad."

There was a surprisingly thoughtful pause before Daniel said, "I wouldn't think so. Danny can be a pain in the ass, but he's manageable and fun to be around."

"I think anyone would be that way, though, after living with _your_ father."

Daniel chuckled darkly. "This is very, very true."

"How'd you get to be here?"

Daniel shrugged. "I'm not sure _I_ understand how it happened. So, I can't really tell you."

"No, you just don't want to tell me."

"If you say so." Daniel looked at her side-long, a wicked gleam in his eye before his gaze returned to the road. "Are we going to play 20 questions now? It seems to be a favorite game between Danny and myself."

"Only if you're stubborn."

Daniel didn't bother to look at her, but the grin that spread across his face probably meant only bad things. "Very well. I'll answer _exactly_ 20 questions. Choose wisely, Jasmine."

Jasmine huffed and shook her head, one hand raised to brush a stray piece of hair behind an ear. "Fine. I'll play your game."

Daniel leaned back in the seat and looked for all the world like a smug cat. "Go on."

"Do you really have ghost powers?"

Daniel conjured a small green globe of light in his hand before clenching his fist to crush the energy back into non-existence.

"Okay. How long have you been living with your foster-father?"

"Thank you for not naming him, and almost 4 years."

"What do you and Danny talk about?"

"Stuff."

"Specifics?"

"Do you want what we've talked about _recently_ or a general trend?"

"Recently."

"Morals and ethics."

"What?!"

"You think it's not a suitable topic of conversation?"

"Well, I mean, it's a little heavy, don't you think?"

"Obviously I don't think so or else it wouldn't have come up, now would it?"

Jazz scowled. "_Why_ did you talk about that?"

"Danny and I differ on values."

"Such as...?"

"Well, I believe in Power and he believes in People."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"What does it _sound_ like it means?"

"You're evading the question!"

Daniel raised an eyebrow delicately, an obviously faked innocent look on his face. Jazz sighed gustily.

"Fine. A different question. Were you affected by that ghost?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I'm like Danny, I think."

"So, Danny wasn't affected either?"

"Nope."

"Huh. So, who was it really that got us all out alive—you or Danny?"

"Both of us."

Jazz simply sighed. "Fine. What's it like, living with who you do?"

Daniel snorted. "An experience."

"Care to expand on that?"

"Well, I mean, it's _him_. You lived with him briefly. You can make educated guesses."

"But I was with him for about a day. You've lived with him for _years_."  
"So?"

"Surely that gives you a more detailed perspective."

"I suppose."

"Do you _really_ want to go into business? It seems like such a departure from your dream to become an astronaut..."

"Things change."

"Apparently," Jazz replied dryly, making Daniel snicker. "You know, I don't think you've really answered any question of mine."

Daniel shrugged. "If you say so."

Jazz growled, which made Daniel snicker. "Why are you so _stubborn_?"

"Because it's fun."

Jazz muttered to herself, and Daniel politely ignored her.

There was a long, thoughtful pause before Jazz spoke again: "Daniel."

"Yes?"

"_Why_ are you here?"

Daniel's turned back to her, eyes locked on her. "For him," he answered, no inflection in his voice.

Jazz didn't have to ask who 'him' was. "You're not here to kill him or something?"

"If I was, I would have done it long and long ago, when he was still untrained and unaware of who I am," he said, his eyes and voice completely unreadable.

"You could be luring him into trusting you before getting rid of him."

"Too much effort."

Jazz snorted slightly. "Too much effort? I've seen the way you do things—you take the long way to get at things you desire."

"Is that so?" he asked softly, amusement thick in his voice.

His answer inexplicably made Jazz twitch slightly. "You really do like being sphynx-like, don't you?"

"I do." Daniel grinned. "And that's all your questions."

"What?" Jazz asked quizzically.

Daniel smirked. "I don't have to answer any more questions if I don't want to. You've asked me 20, and that's the limit."

Jazz huffed in annoyance, grumbling uncomplimentary things about the young man and focused on the road. She was surprised when Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Look. I tease you because I like seeing you react. Don't take it personally. Just concentrate on driving. I'll protect everyone in case something happens," Daniel murmured and his hand fell away.

Jazz didn't even hear him slip out of the seat and return to his original spot. She looked at him through the mirror and shook her head, the teen obviously awake now, but without seeming to have moved, Danny being draped slightly more over him, snoring faintly. Daniel caught her eyes and shrugged slightly, although not enough to move the younger teen's head.

Jazz shook her head and returned her attention to driving. _They're drawn to each other,_ she thought with a small smile. _Danny because Daniel is the older brother for him, teaching him life lessons in a way that he understands—through both positive and _negative_ example. Daniel is drawn to Danny...probably because Danny is simply who he is. Danny hides little, and that is something that Daniel has probably been starved of. Danny _accepts_ Daniel, and Daniel needs that. _

Daniel was hard to figure out, but Jazz figured that she had some time to do so. Although she wished he wouldn't be so _perverse_ about answering simple questions...


	21. Solidification

**Author**: And now we pick up with the main story again. I hope you all liked seeing things from Jazz's perspective--especially in regards to Daniel! ^_^ Again, I want to thank everyone who has read, is reading, and will read my scribblings. Your support means tons to me.

Here's a shout-out to my lovely beta, Kotoshin, without whom my quality would be much inferior.

**Chapter 20**

"Daniel, could you help me with something?"

Maddie's voice interrupted Daniel's thoughts, making the young man blink. Surprised that Maddie would ask anything of _him_, he marked his page in the book he had been reading and made his way over to Danny's mother.

They had stopped for the night, Jazz having driven as her parents slept until she felt it was safe to stop and double-check them and give everyone a safe place to rest and recover from their encounter with the entity.

The Fenton adults had sprung back fairly quickly; however, there were a few more gray hairs on each of them, and it took a while for them to regain their familiar loving banter.

But, better they were, and it was a relief to Daniel.

"Of course," he answered Danny's mother, curious in spite of himself.

"Just help me set this up," Maddie said and gestured to a ghost-shield generator. "I found a place where I can put this, but I don't think I can get it there on my own after the events of today. Help me carry it?"

"No problem," Daniel said and slid his hands underneath the piece of equipment.

When he discovered how light it was, he sighed inwardly. An excuse to talk to him.

_Shit_.

"Are you enjoying this trip?" Maddie asked as they carried the piece of equipment along.

"Yes, very much. I haven't gone camping in, oh....about 4 years or so. It's...interesting. I'm not used to roughing it _at all,_" Daniel replied with a smile.

Maddie gave him a small smile in return. "It's alright." There was a pause as they worked their way up a short hill. "How much do you know about ghosts?"

"A little. Certainly not as much as you or your husband."

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

Daniel shrugged. "If you say so." He _knew_ otherwise, but he didn't feel like saying anything that would make her ask questions he didn't want to answer.

"I hear you helped Danny with his studies," Maddie said after a long silence.

"Hm? Oh, yes. I did," Daniel answered.

"Why?"

"I seem to get that question a lot. Is it _that_ hard to believe? I helped him because I _wanted_ to help him. That's it. I don't want anything from him, I'm not going to call in any debts down the line because he _doesn't_ owe me anything, I haven't been taking advantage of him..." Daniel sighed in slight frustration.

"Mm," Maddie murmured and put down the machine with a soft sigh. "I don't know what to make of you, Daniel Masters. You help my son, but some of the things you say and do make me wonder about you and your motives."

Daniel gave her a tight smile. "Trust me, there are times even I wonder."

Maddie fiddled with the knobs on the generator before asking, "What happened to that ghost?"

Daniel huffed in mock-frustration and scratched his head. "I have no idea," he lied. "The only thing I remember is seeing it loom above me. Next thing I know, Danny's leaning over me, obviously panicking. From what I can deduce, Danny either escaped what happened to us altogether, or he found an escape prior to rescuing us."

"Really?" Maddie half-exclaimed.

Daniel nodded. "I think I owe my life to Danny. I think we _all_ do." Daniel smiled faintly and looked at Maddie. "I think your skills are rubbing off on him."

Maddie smiled warmly. "He's a remarkable boy."

"Yes...yes, he is," Daniel agreed softly.

There was another pause as Maddie continued to fiddle with the copious amounts of knobs, buttons, and dials on the generator. "You know more about ghosts than you let on."

"Not really. It's a casual fascination—nothing more."

Maddie regarded the device before her, then shook her head. "No, it's more than that, I _know_."

Daniel merely shrugged. He wasn't up to arguing a lie.

"Where did you say you were from?"

"I don't think I did. I lived in Wisconsin until my dad," Daniel frowned marginally, _Vlad's not my _dad, "kicked me out of the house."

"Did you live somewhere else before you were adopted?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"A few places."

"Mm...do you like it in Amity?"

Daniel smiled faintly. "It's a nice place, like the sign says. The ghosts make life exciting, although I don't know if that's a good thing or not..." Daniel paused before chuckling softly. "Everything comes back to ghosts somehow. Funny...I never thought about them much until I came here."

"They're a part of life in Amity, and since you're traveling with us you're exposed to them even more. You seem to...take them well."

"They're not _scary_," Daniel drawled. "I don't understand why people are so terrified of them. There are other, better things to be frightened by."

"Like what?"

Daniel paused, then shrugged. "I dunno. Ghosts can't hurt me, so I'm not scared of them. Actually, before I came here, I would have said that I wasn't scared of anything."

"But that's changed?"

"Yeah," Daniel murmured thoughtfully. "I'm scared of a few things now. But, I'll be fine. Thankfully, most of them are under my control and those that aren't...well, I can do stuff to make sure they stay safe."

"...you fear for Danny, don't you?"

Daniel blinked, then gave Danny's mother a wry smile. "Yeah. I don't want to see him get hurt. He's a nice kid..." _Sometimes _too_ nice._

"Do you love him?"

"You mean _love_ love? No, not that way. It's just...somehow we've wormed our ways into each other's lives. He's become important to me." Daniel smiled wryly. "And just when I thought I had finally found a way to keep myself from getting attached at a level deeper than just being acquaintances..."

Maddie frowned at the last comment. "You don't want friends?"

"For _their_ sake, not mine. I'm not an easy person to know, much less get along with."

"You and Danny seem to get along swimmingly."

"I suppose. It's hard _not_ to get along with Danny."

"He _is_ a gentle soul, isn't he...?"

"I assume he takes after his parents?" Daniel asked, earning him another small smile.

Maddie finally kicked the machine, spreading a bright green ecto-dome over the camp. "You've become quite the figure in Danny's life, you know—he'll mention something that you two did together, something that you've said, and not even realize he's spoken about you. He is often frustrated by you, you know. You seem to make him think about things I feel a teenager shouldn't worry about."

"My life is complicated," Daniel said nonchalantly, "and I trust him enough to tell him parts of it."

"You trust a 16 year-old?"

"_I'm_ only _19_, ma'am. He's easy to talk to and good at keeping secrets."

"Really now?"

Daniel shrugged. "At least, I _believe_ he is." _Nothing I've told him has come back to bite me in the ass._ _Yet._

"Mm. Where did you go to high school?"

"A private school. I think it's prestigious, but I never cared enough to find out—my father is _very_ concerned about appearances."

Maddie smiled faintly before turning to face Daniel, her face serious. "You truly mean my son no harm?"

"I would _die_ before I would hurt him or anyone else in your family."

Maddie looked relieved, although there was still a subtle wariness. "I'm going to trust you; however, if you betray that trust..."

Daniel nodded. "I understand." He gave her a rare genuine smile. "They're waiting for us."

The two walked back to the main camp in a more comfortable silence. Once there, Daniel broke off from Maddie and sat down on a slightly mossy log next to Danny , who looked at him curiously.

"What was that about?"

"Your mom was making sure she hadn't brought along a total creep on the family vacation."

"What?!"

"Shh, quiet. It was fine. She's decided to give me a chance," he said with a small smile, "and since _she_ is, your dad will." Daniel smirked as a thought occurred to him. "I wonder what would happen if my foster-father met your parents. The man would probably die from shock," he concluded with an unkind chuckle.

"Daniel..."

"Yes?"

"What 'd you do to help them?"

Daniel paused. "I took a number of chances, but everything seems to have turned out alright. They seem perfectly sane—well, as sane as they can ever be said to be—there are no memory gaps aside from when they were captives of the ghost, there's no physical damage... therefore, my methods don't matter." Daniel played with a piece of grass. "Your mom asked me what happened. I lied."

"...what _did_ you tell her?"

"That I knew nothing, was caught along with them and gave all the credit for the rescue to you."

Danny's jaw dropped. "Serious?"

"Yup," Daniel replied.

"Why?"

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Why indeed?" Daniel looked over to Danny's family, stood, dragged Danny up to his feet, and pushed Danny towards his family. "Come on. This is a family vacation, not a 'let's-grill-Daniel-about-everything-under-the-sun' vacation."

Danny gave him a brief, puzzled look.

_I can't tell _you_ why I lied because _I'm_ not sure as to why I did that,_ Daniel thought, although no-one would have guessed that those were his thoughts.

"If that is how hard it is to fight ghosts, I'll pass on being a ghost hunter," Daniel said with a wry smile as he and Danny finally reached the nuclear family proper. "It seems too difficult for someone as lazy as I am."

"It's difficult but rewarding work," Maddie said as she poked at the fire. "Someone has to keep everyone safe."

"And that's what you do." _Well, that's where Danny gets the whole 'I must protect people' thing. What I _usedto_ believe in._

"Yup," Jack replied with good cheer, apparently no worse for his experience.

"That's...quite admirable. I could never do it."

"That's alright. Our way of life isn't for everyone."

Daniel cocked his head to the side slightly and nodded. "This is true. You are very strong people." _Has she seen something in me—other than what I allow—that makes her say that?_ Daniel wondered.

"Most ghosts are weaker than that, though," Maddie said thoughtfully. "That was a particularly strong one."

"Oh, _good_. Do you think next time you can start me at a level 1 ghost?"

Maddie chuckled and Danny gave him a smile.

"Why don't you tell me some of your more memorable hunts and captures? Those are safer than me actually going out and chasing ghosts myself," Daniel said, looking at Jack and Maddie, appearing interested as he sat down on the cool earth.

"Really?" Jack asked. "You _want_ me to blather on about ghosts?"

"Absolutely."

Jack perked up significantly and began to spin a yarn that Daniel knew was most likely greatly exaggerated. Daniel rested his forearms against his thighs, hands dangling between his knees, for all appearances relaxed and entertained.

He was inexplicably lonely, however, and Daniel couldn't figure out for the life of him _why_.

–

Daniel sat in silence outside the tents, his hands splayed behind him as he looked up at the sky. It was a crystal-clear night, and without light-wash Daniel could see all the stars visible to his enhanced eyesight (the normal human with 20/20 can see down to 6th magnitude without aid—Daniel could see to 8th). It was a beautiful, breathtaking sight that reminded him of his insignificance in the grand scheme of things, even for all his power. Such moments helped him keep things in perspective, helped prevent his ego from growing too large.

_I have time now,_ he thought, turning his attention away from the stars and onto the foreign memories that were crowding his mind.

Daniel closed his eyes and began to sift through Luna's memories and skills.

Luna wasn't a particularly strong ghost and didn't really have any unique abilities—she was just very, very smart. In Daniel's time, she had taken Skulker's place once Daniel had rid the Ghost Zone of the annoyance (it had been surprisingly good for his PR). She was, admittedly, much less heavily armored, but she, like Skulker, relied primarily on inventions of her own to prove herself a formidable foe. That she also seemed to have lost any human morals and ethics she may have possessed before death made her twice as deadly.

Luna wasn't bent on world (or even Ghost Zone) takeover—she, like Daniel, was simply out to prove that she was the strongest, resulting in frequent run-ins between them.

The first time they met, Daniel barely escaped with his life, but Luna had also sustained a fair amount of damage...which meant that she had concluded that Daniel was a threat to her, and therefore had to be removed. Even after Daniel received the Mark and mastered the Ring of Rage, she had still been his most capable enemy (aside from his father, of course). Luna wasn't cowed by the power Daniel had at his fingers, had absolutely no respect for Daniel's father, and found provoking Daniel far too much fun. So, out of self-preservation, Daniel had kept their contact to a minimum while having spies on her at all times.

It seemed to amuse her.

Therefore, absorbing Luna hadn't so much given him a new skill-set as much as enhanced ingenuity. Daniel was particularly impressed by the plans Luna had of things she hadn't gotten around to building, and her knowledge of individual ghosts rivaled Daniel's. That _she_ knew about some ghosts he had never come across before was helpful. He didn't know if he'd ever run into said ghosts, but having that knowledge was a boon no matter what. Her knowledge of the intricacies of all the powers of the ghosts, their histories, and predictions for their futures (Luna wasn't clairvoyant, but she did have enough intelligent intuition to deduce similar conclusions) were all highly advantageous. Daniel was happy to have a boost to his intellect, even if it meant that his ghost powers weren't augmented. He tended to value skill over force anyway.

That he was also introduced to Phantom's fighting style firsthand via Luna's memories was a plus. The creature fought...strangely, to Daniel. He could see some of Vlad's motions and moves (which made sense), but he didn't seem to have his Vlad's _polish._ He also saw echoes of Danny's techniques, which was somehow _wrong_. It made Daniel's skin crawl.

Without a doubt, Phantom was strong, and as the ghost had met and battled their younger self, Daniel knew that the shrewd entity would be more than prepared this time around. Phantom probably had a few nasty surprises up his metaphorical sleeves that would make Danny wish he hadn't embarrassed the ghost during their first encounter.

This was why Daniel crushed his enemies totally—it was simply _necessary_. With ghosts, that usually meant "kill." With humans, it more often meant making sure that they wouldn't be getting back on their feet—socially, financially, that kind of thing—anytime in the near future.

Unfortunately, Danny was a moral soul, which meant he didn't have it in his nature to kill.

_Ah, well._

The most pressing question was: did Phantom know about _Daniel_?

From what Luna's memories said, the answer was 'no', which was a very, very good thing.

_If Danny can't handle him on his own, I can always step in,_ he thought, chewing on his lip in apprehension. _Although I don't know if that'll do any good._

The way the ghost fought and his strengths ran almost exactly counter to Daniel's. While Daniel would be horrendously weak against Phantom's tactics, if Daniel managed to maneuver himself correctly, he could be devastating against the ghost, and that would be _without_ using the Ring.

_It could swing either way, though._

The one thing that Daniel had going for him was that Phantom was _a full ghost._ That one fact gave him a glimmer of hope for when they would meet.

Emphasis on the 'when'. He had no doubt that they would run into each other eventually. He had a little bit of time, though, since it appeared that the ghost was somehow prevented from leaving the Ghost Zone (much as Daniel was unable to _enter_ it). Daniel would take what he could get—time being on his side was always something he aimed for.

_It's good that neither he nor Danny have Technus's abilities, and I plan on keeping them a secret for as long as possible from _everyone_. Those powers might be the trump card I can use to get us out of that particular situation. Speaking of those abilities..._

Daniel's sighed softly and shuffled through his memories for Technus's. Once he found the "blueprint" for the ghost's powers in his memory, he began to examine it slowly.

_Wow, this is more complicated than I would have thought. Got to give the ghost credit for his ingenuity. What in the _world_ would make him come up with stuff like this, though?_

When Daniel opened his eyes again, he knew by the height of the constellations in the sky that he had spent at least two hours examining the power from all angles.

_Let's see if I can do anything now...it'll take a while longer to master everything, but I think...I can do little things._

Daniel's fingers spread across the soft grass of their campsite and he swept his newly acquired senses out in all directions.

His range was fairly limited, but he figured that it would expand with practice. As it was, he could reach one mile in all directions. It was frustrating, but Daniel didn't have much choice. He wasn't surprised that he couldn't feel much—just underground lines, all the Fenton's technology, and a light-pole on the very edge of his range.

_It'll probably be overwhelming once I get into more populated areas. Until then, I'll just work on stretching my boundaries. _

He was getting a headache from trying to push himself beyond the mile radius, so Daniel drew his consciousness back and sighed as he settled back into his body. He heaved himself to his feet and stretched, working out the kinks in his back before turning to face the tents.

_Danny hasn't forgiven me, but he's begun to understand at least a little bit. There are still things that I haven't told him, things that will surely damn me in his eyes. God, I hope he doesn't meet my pet any time soon. That would break faith entirely._

Daniel sighed and walked back to the tent he shared with Danny and Jazz, still idly processing memories that were not his own.

--

"_Father."_

_Vlad looked up sharply from his newspaper towards the speaker, curious and suspicious. "What did you call me?"_

"_Father," Daniel repeated._

_There was a flicker of surprise and hope in Vlad's eyes before suspicion returned. "What is it?" Vlad sighed, expecting some mundane and annoying demand._

"_I want you to teach me."_

_A look of surprise was more evident that time. "What?"_

"_Teach me everything you know. Human and ghost."_

"_Why?"_

"_You don't want to?" Daniel inquired in mock innocence._

"_No, I'm just wondering at the change in heart."_

_Daniel blinked before a wry, somehow startlingly sadistic smile spread slowly across his face. "I want you to teach me because I will _not_ be weak any longer."_

_Vlad paused and regarded the teen before him before nodding cautiously. "Very well. I will not go easy on you."_

"_When have you ever?"_

--

Daniel awoke with a start, hand clutching his throat as pain seeped down his body, breath escaping him.

_Change into ghost form, fool!_ He berated himself and triggered the transition into his basically dead form.

Although the pressure clamping down on where his lungs would have been was bearable now, the pain that wracked his body only intensified.

A scream caught in Daniel's throat and he struggled to remain quiet. He teleported away, not even bothering to leave a clone behind, barely able to form a coherent thought.

It took him a moment to realize that the pain he was feeling wasn't all his own. The bonds Daniel shared with the ghosts from his time were _screaming_ with agony. He felt two bonds snap, and the abrupt release hit him with backlash that made his head spin. He reached out to the remaining ones and jerked them to him, not caring who arrived.

Familiar white arms curled around him, protecting and seeking comfort simultaneously. A second, significantly slighter form had their arms wrapped securely around Daniel's waist (Daniel assumed the ghost was Ember). Both were holding onto Daniel as if their very existence depended on it.

And it just might.

Clinging back to the strong, solid body of his pet, Daniel buried his face in the suit jacket, he shaking almost as badly as the ghosts were.

_I will survive this!_ He thought heatedly, even as the agony made thought nearly impossible. It felt as if every molecule of his body was being ripped to pieces meticulously, inflicting as much pain as possible.

_Ha. Tear me apart molecule by molecule, right?_

Energy and pain raced through him, swirling and spiraling, gaining strength with each revolution. It hurt so _badly_ that his senses seemed to shut down into one long blur of absolute pain.

For one heartbeat, everything was deathly quiet, a still, waiting silence.

Then Daniel found himself pulled in a thousand different directions, felt himself starting to dissolve.

_NO!_ he cried out and dug into reality as he knew it. He clung to his pet and Ember, his life-lines to his home world, and fought to ground them all in _this_ current reality, keeping them _alive_, fought to _be_.

'Daniel!'

Daniel's head snapped up as the familiar voice rasped through his mind and he made a desperate reach for it.

_Father!_ He cried mentally, frantically searching for the presence that he knew as well as his own.

All that he met was silence.

As quickly as it had begun, Daniel felt...right. The pain ceased abruptly, replaced by a soothing, cool calm. He had the distinct feeling of something locking into place, solidifying him, making him somehow _more real_.

He gently disentangled himself from a shaking Ember as his terrified pet clung to his cape, seeking solace in Daniel's strength.

_What was that?_ He wondered. Sweeping his senses outward, Daniel sought the presence he had so briefly felt.

_Nothing_, Daniel thought unhappily. He plucked the fedora off of his pet's head and placed it on his own, thinking as he pensively petted the ghost's bald head. _I _know_ I heard the frootloop. And what was that with my connection to Vortex and Technus snapping? Was that...could my home world be..._ "Gone?" he whispered, surprise and sadness in his voice. "Do you think our home is gone, pet?" he asked, looking at the sheriff-ghost.

The ghost hesitated. "I...I do not know, Master. But I fear so."

"That's what I thought," Daniel said with a soft sigh.

"_Seriously_?" Ember asked, horror and pain still lacing her voice, turning it something far from musical.

"I think so," Daniel murmured. He kissed the trembling diva's head before gently guiding her to her feet. "Ember, love, I want you to go back to my apartment and rest there. Do not go out until I get back. I want to make sure that everything is safe and under as much control as possible." He took her hand in his and with a small transfer of power, gave her the ability to phase in and out of his shield. "Stay safe, love. I would hate to see you gone."

Ember nodded numbly and vanished in a brief flash of fire.

Daniel took a deep breath before turning back to his pet. "Listen," he murmured and placed the hat back on the ghost's head. He yanked the ghost to its feet and brushed dirt off its suit. "Go and search the Ghost Zone and Human World. Find out whether or not any denizens _not_ from _our_ time were affected. Also, seek out any from _our_ time who have survived. Finally...see if _my_ Vlad somehow crossed over. Once you have accomplished these tasks, report to me. Then return to my apartment and rest. Keep watch over Ember so she doesn't do anything stupid. Remember—do these in a timely, thorough fashion while remaining undetected, and you will be rewarded. Should you fail in any of these..."

The ghost flinched. "Yes, Master. It will be done as you say, Master."

"Good." Daniel conjured a small ball of energy and handed it to his pet. "Use that to recover. Now, go. Remain unseen..._or else_."

Walker nodded hastily before fading into invisibility and departing.

Once he was sure the ghost was gone, Daniel sighed and teleported back close to the campsite. Before returning, he became human and visible, exhaustion dragging at him from the use of his ghost powers and the recent ordeal.

_I might actually get some real sleep for once._

He was surprised to see a panicky Danny looking around for him. He would have thought that Danny would care less, given what the teen had seen of Daniel's true disposition.

"Danny?" Daniel called out, loud enough to be heard, but not enough to wake anyone up.

Danny's head snapped in the direction of Daniel's voice, relief stark on his features. "Daniel! Where've you been?" he asked, trotting over to the older teen.

Daniel smiled and ruffled Danny's hair affectionately. "Am I not allowed to go for a piss?"

"But you were gone for a while...!"

Daniel shrugged. He wasn't going to bother to make excuses. He was...to put it mildly, drained_._

Danny frowned. "I felt something happen."

Daniel's eyebrows snapped up. "Oh, really now?"

Danny scowled. "You're not denying it, at least. Which means that something _did_ happen."

Daniel shrugged. "If you say so."

"You're shaking."

"Am I?" Daniel murmured and looked at his hands. To his chagrin, he was. "Well, look at that."

"So, will you just _tell me_ or do I have to drag it out of you?"

Daniel paused, then sighed. "I'm not entirely certain myself. My _hypothesis_ is that my world has now been fully absorbed into yours."

"Well, that's good, right? I mean, you won't have to worry about dying anymore."

Daniel smiled wearily. "I always have to worry about death—everyone does. I just don't have to worry about that weird suffocation. But, as far as I know, most of the ghosts from my world are gone."

"Oh...so, does that mean that your foster-father...?"

Daniel felt a twinge of pain that had nothing to do with the physical flash through him. "Maybe. I have someone on the lookout...I should know within a few days whether or not he survived."

"I thought you said you don't use the ghosts here."  
Daniel shrugged. "I don't. I found one from my own world."

"Oh. Who?"

Daniel hesitated, but found no reason to not tell Danny the truth—he _had_ said that he had worked with almost every ghost, and that included his pet. "Walker."

Danny's jaw dropped. "Seriously?"

Daniel nodded. "Seriously."

"Wow...I would never think he would work with anyone but himself."

Daniel smirked. "I can be _very_ convincing," he murmured.

Danny shook his head, slightly amazed. "Still..."

Daniel shrugged again. "Well, you should try to get a little more sleep. Your parents have this amazing ability to keep you on your toes _constantly.._."

Danny smiled. "Okay."

Daniel opened the tent flap for Danny and stepped in after him, a small knot of worry squirming in his gut.

_Worry for whom, though?_

---

**Post-note**: I've reached a _huge_ milestone--I have 210 reviews, 105 story alerts, and 81 favorites! That's probably more than all my other storied combined! Also, please excuse my little astronomy geekiness on the magnitude of stars Daniel can see. The more positive the magnitude of a star, the dimmer it is. For example, from our planet, the Sun in -27th magnitude, while from a parsec away (it's a unit of distance!) it's +4th magnitude. ^_^b Again, thank you all for reading!


	22. Forest Fight

**Author**: Back for another chapter! Again, i want to take a moment to thank everyone who comments, favorites, alerts, or reads this story. Your support is priceless. Also, endless amounts of love for my magnificent beta, kotoshin.

**Disclaimer**: Not Mine. Alas.

**Chapter 21: Forest Fight**

"...Because the water table is so close to the surface in some places, if the graves weren't above-ground the coffins would float away. Can you imagine running into _that_?"

Danny winced and Jazz looked grossed out, making Daniel grin.

"I assume we have copious amounts of bug-spray? Ghost shields don't keep out mosquitoes," he said, looking at the Fenton adults as he dismounted from the RV.

"We have the Fenton Bug-Zapper and Fenton Bug-Spray, so we'll be fine," Jack said with a grin.

"Good to hear." Daniel smiled faintly back, then paused to tilt his head in thought.

"Hey, Danny," he murmured, looking at the younger teen beside him.  
"What?"

"What do you think the effect of your blood on mosquitoes would be?" he asked softly.

Danny frowned, obviously thinking.

"What do you mean?" Jazz asked warily.

"Danny's half-ghost," he murmured so that only Jazz could hear. "That means his blood is a mixture of ectoplasm and human blood. What would happen to a mosquito that drank it? Would it become some kind of super-ghost-mosquito?"

Jazz blinked, then frowned. "I never thought of that."

Daniel shrugged. "Just something to ponder."

They had been in the Deep South for what felt like an eternity, even though Daniel knew it was at most a day. The place had the uncanny ability to give even him the creeps, making his reactions twitchier than usual. His ghost sense was constantly on the verge of being tipped off, but the ghosts were never strong enough to truly provoke it. Many—most—were residual hauntings, recordings of a point in time that repeated over and over without knowledge that what they were playing out no longer existed on the temporal plane. Daniel was unable to feel any _intelligent_ hauntings, things that might have caused them trouble.

Then again, the sheer omnipresence of spiritual activity made it hard to notice the more serious threats.

Which was why both he and Danny were surprised by the appearance of Skulker.

Both of them jumped at the ghost's malignant chuckle, and Daniel yelped as _he_ was the one taken hostage, dragged forcibly away from the campsite. Daniel twisted—painfully—in the mechanical ghost's grip and managed to kick at the ghost's elbow joint, surprising it into letting him fall onto the moss-covered ground.

The ghost gave him an appreciative look as it reworked its joint into functionality. "You're a different kind of prey," the hunter murmured, and while Daniel's knee-jerk reaction would have been to smirk and attack, he instead opted to look baffled, afraid, and unsure.

"Wh-what do you mean?" he asked, although he slipped into a fighting stance out of habit and caution.

"_Get away from him, ghost!"_ came Jack's battle cry as the man lept into the fray, firing off randomly—although he _was_ lucky enough to get a hit on the mechanical hunter.

Daniel whirled and looked at the Fenton family, sighing in relief. The relief was short-lived, though, as another ghost registered on his ghost sense. Once he processed the identity of the ghost, he sighed unhappily—life was about to get _very_ interesting.

_Stupid Undergrowth _would_ show up in an area where there are already copious amounts of his 'children' to start with,_ he thought with an inward scowl.

Daniel looked closely at Skulker's suit and made a frustrated sound as he realized that Skulker hadn't been fitted with the flamethrower yet. _There are times I wish I was gifted with flame power rather than ice,_ Daniel grumbled inwardly. _Ice won't do near enough in this heat._

Apparently Undergrowth was Skulker's primary prey, for the hunter had immediately switched his attention away from the Fentons—and Danny—to the plant-ghost.

Daniel fell back next to the Fentons and asked casually, "You wouldn't happen to have a lighter or something?"

"No, none of us smoke," Maddie answered with obvious disapproval.

"That's too bad, because we could _totally_ use fire against a _plant ghost,_" he murmured, sighing inwardly.

Maddie looked at him, surprised and intrigued. "You would risk setting alight this entire area?"

Daniel shrugged. "Sacrifices must be made for the betterment of the whole. This place is also full of very _wet_ plants, things that won't catch easy. I _did_ see a water fire extinguisher in the RV, too. If you play your cards right, you should be able to destroy the ghost while keeping this habitat more or less intact."

Daniel was treated to a look that he didn't have time to interpret, considering the plants that surged up from beneath him and engulfed him.

–

_Daniel waited impatiently on the phone, twirling the cord around his finger, as the ring buzzed loudly in his ear. He just _knew_ that he'd get the person he'd been trying to contact this time. It was just a...feeling. If he caught the man right as he started working at the office, he would surely be free._

_Finally, someone answered the phone. _

"_MasterCorp, can I help you?"_

_It was his secretary. "Hi, this is Danny Fenton. Is Mr. Masters in yet?"_

"_Yes, he is. May I ask why you're calling?"_

"_I just...I need to talk to him. Tell him my name and he'll probably answer the phone. Please."_

_There was a long silence on the other end, before the woman spoke again: "Fine. Hold on."_

_There was the muffled sound of speech in the background before the phone began to ring again. Almost immediately the phone was picked up, "Daniel?"_

"_Vlad. I..." Daniel sighed. "I have something I need to ask you."_

"_What?"_

_The man sounded exhausted, and Daniel felt a twinge of sympathy. As far as he knew, the death of his family had as extreme an effect on him as it had on Daniel. "I want you to adopt me."_

_There was a stunned silence before Vlad heatedly replied, "Don't jerk my chain—you'll regret this."_

"_No! Wait! Don't hang up! I'm _serious_ Vlad! _I want to move in with you!"_ Daniel took a deep, shuddering breath that bordered on a sob. "Look, I can't _stand_ these people anymore. They don't _understand_ how fundamental ghosts have become to me. They don't...I didn't tell them about my ghost powers, and even if I did they'd probably think I was delusional or crazy or something and try to commit me to a mental institution. _You_ know I'm not crazy. You know that I can't just get rid of my ghost powers. They _define_ me." Daniel was literally on the verge of tears. He needed to _get out._ "Please, Vladimir. You always wanted me as your son before—here I am, _asking_ to be that."_

_There was a pained, hopeful silence. "You're being serious."_

"_Yes."_

_There was another pause, and Daniel's heart was beating too hard in his chest._

"_Fine. When can I pick you up?"_

"_How about now?"_

_A surprised chuckle came from the other end. "I'll have someone there within the hour. Does your current family know?"_

"_Kinda."_

"_Daniel."_

"_Okay, they don't. But everyone's busy and it's _suffocating_ here. I'll leave a note or something. They won't be overly worried. I don't...fit right here."_

"_Fine. You'll be picked up within the hour, and my son before noon."_

_Daniel smiled happily through the silent tears. "Thank you, Vlad. Thank you."_

"_We'll see how much you'll be thanking me later."_

_The two hung up and Daniel looked at his already packed bags, a relieved smile on his face. _

Who knew that I would turn to my former arch-enemy for a home?

--

Daniel woke with a stifled whimper and an uncontrollable shiver that had nothing to do with his ghost sense (though that was still a problem). His entire body was a solid ache, his ghost power was mostly spent, and he was _burning_. As the ice energy was always present, Daniel hadn't experienced his true 'natural' body temperature for a few years. Currently, his ice energy was small, thus spiking his body temperature into mimicry of a fever.

He shifted to sit up, but a hand on his shoulder kept him from moving. Opening his eyes, Daniel looked up at the guarded eyes of Danny.

"How long have I been out?" Daniel asked.

"Just two hours. Mom's confused as to why your body is reacting to normal body temperature as if you had a bad fever," Danny told him with a small, unsure smile.

Daniel cracked a small smile in turn. "How's your dad?"

"He's fine. He springs back from _anything_ easy," Danny said with a warm tone to his voice. "He's worried about you, you know. He's also telling all kinds of stories. I don't know whether to believe them or not, considering what you're capable of."

"Any account of my deeds is greatly exaggerated," Daniel murmured. "He provided most of the muscle. I was just tactics."

"I bet you're lying."

"M'not," Daniel murmured tiredly.

It had been a pairing of necessity. Daniel had woken in a panic at a constricting darkness that pressed in tightly on him from all sides. Phasing out of his bonds, Daniel found himself outside of one of the pods that Undergrowth was so fond of.

That barest exertion of his ghost abilities had left him trembling, which worried him. Gauging his own strength, Daniel was terrified at how low his reserves were.

_I won't be able to transform,_ he thought. _Although I should still be able to use everything, I'm working at less than half-power. FUCK._

He looked around and saw another pod. Curious as to who—or what—could be inside, he walked over and placed a hand on it, gathering ice energy around his palm. The cold made the pod open reflexively, revealing Jack.

Daniel's eyebrows shot up and he withdrew the large man gently. Placing the man on the ground before him, Daniel swore at how badly he himself was shaking.

_Damnit. I'll be useless in a fight. Looks like Jack will have to do all the fighting if we're to get out of this one alive and intact._

Daniel tried to clone himself and bit back a gasp of pain, unable to manifest even a wisp of a copy. He didn't want to alert Undegrowth to the fact that he escaped—not before he had an idea of what was going on—but he also didn't want to leave Jack unprotected. In the distance he heard what sounded like speech, so he set up the smallest of ghost shields around Jack (it was all he could manage) before ninja-ing over to where he heard someone, no, several some-_ones_ speaking—arguing, really.

"...ass! He's _totally_ cramping my style!"

_Ember?_ Daniel wondered and pulled out his cell phone, flipping it open to use the screen as a makeshift mirror to look around the tree he was hiding behind. _Not mine._

From what he could tell, there was quite the collection of ghosts from _this_ time_._ Ember. Undergrowth. Hotep-Ra. Aragorn. Walker. Skulker. Spectra and Bertrand. The Fright Knight. Desiree. An Observant. Frostbite. And _Plasmius?_ The last one surprised Daniel, but he figured that they were probably allies of necessity. 'Uniting against a greater evil' kind of thing. Like with Pariah Dark. Maybe. Plasmius _definitely_ had some ulterior motive, though. He always did.

Daniel pulled back his cell phone and quieted his breathing and heartbeat as much as he could in order to simply _listen._ Perhaps the content of the conversation might give him some insight on how Phantom worked, since that was the only ghost (or, perhaps, threat?) that Daniel could think of that would overcome the differences between the collected ghosts.

"Something _must_ be done about him, this is true," Plasmius murmured, and Daniel could almost visualize his hand stroking his goatee.

"But, what?" Spectra countered. "He's proven himself _far_ more formidable than we originally thought. That he also is similar to that _brat_...is unnerving."

"But I know he's not the ghost-child," Skulker said. "He's still around, too."

There was a sigh.

"There are differences between the two of them as well—aside from the obvious," said Bertrand.

"You mean one is desperately evil while the other is not? What else?" Aragorn drawled.

"Power," Vlad answered succinctly.

"Yes. Phantom is, unfortunately, much stronger than the Great One is right now," Frostbite said mournfully.

There was a long, unhappy silence. "So, you don't think that even if we recruit the child that it'll make much of a difference? Even against _himself?"_ the Fright Knight asked.

"Pfft. Who needs him?" Undergrowth hissed. "He still hasn't succeeded in finding his father and friend."

"That ghost's breaking the rules," sulked Walker (who was probably ineffectual—Daniel was _so_ glad that he had trained his pet). "Something _needs_ to happen."

Daniel agreed entirely. _But what...?_

"This wouldn't have happened if _Clockwork_ had done what we told him to and gotten rid of the child!" snapped the Observant.

Daniel's breath caught in surprise before being followed by an intense wave of anger. _They tried to _kill_ Danny? Stupid fuckers. I'm _so _glad that I got rid of the most powerful among them._

"Shouldn't you be able to see the outcome of this situation?"

The Observant sounded quite sulky as it said, "Our vision fails us. Something is blocking our Sight. We know no more than you do regarding the situation at hand."

There was a stunned silence. "Seriously?" Ember half-asked, half-demanded.

"Unfortunately."

If Daniel wasn't counting on his stealth to keep him in one piece, he would have whistled, impressed. He didn't think _anything_ could block the Observants' sight. _Perhaps Clockwork is meddling? But, why? What does he have to gain from doing so?_

"Well we have to figure out _something_ before it's too late. I do not _wish_ to end up extinct."

"We have _gotta_ figure out a way to counter that sonic sound attack of his; once we do that, we should have better odds."

_Sonic sound attack? Could they be talking about the Ghostly Wail? If _that's_ the case, I _really_ have to get on figuring out a counterattack of my own. _

"Do we have all the help we can get?"

"Clockwork said that we have everyone that we need—that we don't have to take anyone out of the future or past. Everyone we need is here, in the present."

_He's plotting something. That was ambiguous enough to make me think._ Daniel paused thought as he half-listened to the dialogue. _Could...could he mean _me? He wondered, paling slightly.

Apparently, Plasmius and he thought along the same lines: "What about that other ghost? The one who looks human?" the older half-ghost asked.

"Who?"

"You haven't met him?"

There was a brief silence before there was a noise of recognition from one of the ghosts, "Oh, _that_ one. Do _you_ know who he is?"

"I have an idea."

Daniel's heart skipped a beat. _Please don't say that I'm Danny, _please_ tell me that you don't know that._

"Do you think he's strong enough to be effectual against that monster?"

"I have a feeling he might."

Daniel groaned inwardly. It wouldn't be safe for him to go ghost anymore—not around the ghosts of this world, at least—without having them try to dragoon him into their service. He wanted to focus on _Danny_, not the wants of stupid ghosts.

At that moment, Daniel's cell phone decided to go off, alerting all the ghosts to his presence.

_SHIT_.

Leaving his cell behind, Daniel bolted from his spot. Unfortunately, he was caught before he got too far, a large vine halting him in his tracks as it twined around his leg. Snarling, Daniel wrenched his leg free through sheer brute force rather than finesse (he had a bad feeling that he had pulled a muscle doing so).

"How did you get out?" Undergrowth hissed, setting up a blockade of plants to keep him from escaping any farther.

Daniel figured that his usual approach in these situations would probably work.

He waved his hand dismissively. "It wasn't difficult," he sneered.

"How much did you hear?"

Daniel shrugged and gave them a cocky smirk.

"No matter—I know how to take care of this problem," the Fright Knight said and drew his sword.

Daniel's eyes widened marginally. There was only one power he hadn't managed to counter—and that was the Fright Knight's sword. Oh, he had _mastered_ it, could _use_ it…but that didn't mean it couldn't be used against him.

He didn't miss the way Vlad looked at him, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. It was the calculating look that he had learned to hate after living with the man.

A plan unfurled in his mind and a smirk found its way onto his face. It was desperate, but it had the potential to get him out alive. Daniel drawled, "Do you know how tacky you look? Purple and black armor? Come _on_. Surely you can do better than that." Daniel looked up and caught the Fright Knight's eyes to give the ghost the most Vlad-like smirk he could manage. "I'm not scared of some silly, washed-up ghost like yourself. Where's the honor and glory in attacking a defenseless human?"

He picked all the right things to say—the Fright Knight _had_ been his minion for a while, afterall—to make the ghost irrationally angry. When the Fright Knight lunged and swung at him, Daniel made sure his back was against the wall of plant life.

Daniel just _barely_ ducked in time, and all the plants behind him were cut enough for escape. Behind him, Daniel heard Undergrowth yelling at the Fright Knight for mauling his children and almost sending _him_ to a nightmare realmn.

Making made use of the opportunity he had created, Daniel ran like mad, phasing through whatever got in his way.

A hand reached out and caught his shirt, making him nearly choke from the sudden stop. He also felt the displacement of air that meant whoever was holding him had teleported them somewhere. Roughly dropped to the ground, Daniel landed painfully and rubbed his throat, turning to look at his captor.

"Daniel."

Daniel stiffened as his eyes fell upon Plasmius, but nothing else in his body language betrayed his apprehension. "Vladimir. What do _you_ want?" he asked flatly as he stood.

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Want? What makes you think I _want_ something?"

"Aside from the fact that this is the _second_ time you abducted me, have proven that you're an asshole that's far too observant for my good, and that there's a rogue ghost on the loose that not even _you_ can control...gee, I don't know," Daniel drawled. "Spit it out, Plasmius."

"So impatient..."

Daniel was actually trying to buy time to give his reserves time to recover, as he had a sinking feeling that Vlad was going to test his strength, which was _bad_ since he wasn't up to full power. Daniel also didn't want to pull out the Ring...he'd lost to _his_ Vlad while using it, not to mention that it would _probably_ be a good idea to keep it on the down-low around this incarnation of his foster-father. The man would steal it and try to use it himself.

_Try_ being the noteworthy word. Daniel had attuned it to his unique power signature so that if someone other than he tried to use it, the Ring would immediately return to him after delivering a substantial shock to whomever had the audacity to steal it from him.

Feeling the chill on his neck that told him something was behind him, Daniel dodged instinctively in time to miss a blast of ectoenergy from Vlad's clone. "God _damn_ it, Vlad! Are you trying to kill me?"

"How did you guess?" Vlad sneered.

_He's bluffing. He _has_ to be._ "Why would you want to kill me?" Daniel asked, dodging a few punches from the clone. "What have I ever done to you? Fuck, I saved your life!"

"And I repaid you for that service."

Daniel sighed and used the clone's momentum against it to throw it into a tree before blocking a strike from a second clone. Barely missing a kick from a third clone, Daniel snarled, his blooming panic and discomfort never making it to his face.

What should have been a devastating counterattack fell flat as Vlad went intangible, making Daniel stumble through him. Although Daniel caught his balance fairly quickly, it was not fast enough to avoid being sent flying into a nearby tree.

"Why aren't you using your ghost powers?" Vlad asked, obviously curious as to why Daniel stubbornly remained human.

"Who says I have to use them to defeat _you_?" Daniel sneered as he extracted himself from the trunk, wiping a bit of blood away from his lip, having accidentally bit down in his face-plant into the tree.

Vlad frowned. "Don't be cocky, child."

Daniel's expression darkened briefly before he shrugged it off. "If I am, don't you think there's a _reason_ behind it?" he said archly while casually brushing off splinters of wood. The _real_ answer to the question of 'why aren't you transforming?' was that he simply had no energy to transform. He could try all he wanted, but the most he'd be able to manifest would be the rings of light...except he didn't even have _those_ anymore.

Vlad smirked, as if he knew Daniel's bluff.

Problem was, he probably _did_ know.

Daniel yelped as he felt someone pick him up by his shirt again. He squirmed out of it, dropped back onto the forest floor and rolled into a fighting crouch.

Vlad was staring at him. _Why is he...? OH FUCK THE MARK._

"How did you get that?" Vlad asked slowly, coming to land.

"I went to the tattoo parlor," Daniel answered nonchalantly, every sense save his currently useless paranormal one on alert. "It cost a lot, but when you have money to burn, that doesn't mean much."

"Don't lie," Vlad answered dryly.

"Who says I'm lying?" Daniel shot back.

Vlad sighed and shook his head, as if he was dealing with a particularly stubborn young child. "Why would you put a tattoo on where no-one would see it? There aren't exactly copious amounts of beaches in Wisconsin."

"I travel a lot. It attracts the girls—they always like a guy who seems tough, and having a tattoo along your entire back means that you had to endure a lot of pain over a long amount of time."

"I doubt that any father would approve of that."

"Except one who doesn't pay attention to what his 'son' does. My father had more important things to do than worry about what I got myself into."

"Is that so? Speaking of your _father..._"

The way Vlad drawled the word made Daniel's heart fall to his heels. Daniel took an instinctive step back and unconsciously switched his fighting stance to something more defensive.

"What about him?" Daniel answered back, seemingly unconcerned.

"How did I come to have a son?"

"_You_ don't have a son. What kind of drugs are you on that make you say that?"

"Daniel, there's no use in denying it. How you _behave_, how you _think_...I see myself, albeit much younger. How are you possible?"

"You're making no sense," Daniel said and dodged one clone, throwing it over his shoulder. Whirling a kick into a second clone's advance, Daniel sent it into the one that he had thrown over his shoulder.

"This is sick, Vlad. What do you have to gain from pushing me around?" Daniel was beginning to sweat, even his ice energy not keeping the heat of exertion from manifesting.

"Just answer my question and I won't bother you anymore."

"I'm. Not. _Your_. Son! Dear god, man! If you weren't such a damn frootloop you'd figure out that Maddie doesn't love you! She never has and never will! She's _happy_ with her family! If you weren't so consumed in your own self-pity and pain, you'd actually realize that! MOVE ON!" Daniel snarled, taking the offensive, and surprised Vlad by engaging the original directly.

Finally landing a vicious one-two combo and sending Vlad into a tree, Daniel attempted to press his advantage. Breathing heavily, his eyes narrowed as he found himself blocked by more clones. "You're an _adult_, you're _smart_, you're _successful_, you have the world at your fingertips! Can you even _begin_ to guess how many people are waiting for you to get beyond yourself? Fuck, I've seen one listing where you were listed among one of the most eligible bachelors!" Daniel snarled, blocking and reposing in response to attacks from clones. "_Why do you cling to an illusion?_"

Vlad looked absolutely astonished, which gave Daniel a perverse sense of pleasure. Telling Vlad all these things was cathartic in a way—they were things he had wanted to tell his Vlad when they were still on opposite sides but never had the balls to do so—perhaps he could help this Vlad get past his stubbornness, even a little, by shoving reality in his face? However, Vlad recovered from the surprise quickly, expression darkening. "How _dare_ you...!"

"Oh, I dare a great deal. You make Danny's life difficult with your quixotical pursuit of his mother and _himself,_ and, trust me, as Danny is under my protection, I take any injury to him or his _personally_. You, Vladimir 'Plasmius' Masters, threaten him more than anyone else—alive or dead. This is the only warning I'm giving you: Leave. Him. _Alone_."

"I don't take well to being threatened," Vlad told him coldly, power gathering around his hands.

"Bring it," Daniel told him cockily. "I have answers to questions you have. You won't waste me."

Daniel belatedly felt the clone behind him, and all breath left his body when the clone touched his back. Falling to his knees, Daniel curled in on himself, body vibrating in pain as the sweeping curves of the Mark burned with energy taken from Vlad's now-dispelled clone.

"Now isn't _that_ interesting," Vlad drawled, although there was a small note of surprise. "Just a tattoo, hm?"

Daniel simply snarled, the pain making it hard to think of a coherent reply.

Vlad made a gentle 'tsk'ing sound before Daniel saw the older half-ghost's feet before him. "That's a Mark. How in the _world_ did you get one? I had thought that they were only a story."

Daniel was desperate to escape and alarmingly low on energy. That, plus the simple fact that the Mark's activation letting any Observant within a 10 mile radius know _exactly_ where the convict was…

Taking advantage of Vlad's nearness and curiosity, Daniel grabbed onto Vlad's leg and _yanked_ at the older half-ghost's energy, using it to viciously replenish his own ghost energy.

Vlad cried out in surprise and kicked Daniel away, but not before Daniel had taken enough to both forcibly return Vlad to his human state and dispel the older half-ghost's clones.

Pushing himself to his feet, Daniel gave Vlad a mocking smirk and picked up his discarded shirt before he vanished. He pictured Jack in his mind and hoped that the blind teleportation would take him where he needed to be.

Thankfully, for once it did (Daniel hated taking leaps in the dark, but sometimes it was necessary). When he arrived, Jack was just slowly coming around. He quickly pulled on his T-shirt (not so incidentally covering his still faintly-glowing Mark) before he went over to the man and shook him lightly.

"_Jack._ I mean, Mr. Fenton! C'mon, we _have to go._"

"Huh? What?"

"GHOST!" Daniel said heatedly, which brought Jack from dozing to full-alertness almost painfully quickly.

"What? Where?" the large man asked, pulling a gun out of god-knows-where and waving it around dangerously—more dangerous to Daniel than anyone else.

"Listen. Right now we're in a _huge_ load of trouble, and I need _your_ skills as a ghost hunter to get us out of this alive," Daniel said, pushing the barrel of the large gun away from him and towards the forest floor.

"Do I get to shoot things?" Jack asked excitedly.

"Yes. But only the things I tell you to shoot at."

"Why?"

"Because you're _very_ strong and if we're not careful, you could end up hurting yourself...or me. And we don't want that, do we?"

Jack shook his head.

"Alright. I'm putting my life in the hands of one of Amity Park's most capable ghost hunters. If we work together, we can do this."

"You!"

Daniel whirled to face the ghosts that he had escaped from, and paled at the sight of their numbers. With his level of power, he couldn't hope to face them and win. Plasmius's energy had been helpful, but not near enough to raise a sufficient resistance—especially since a lot of the energy had been used in getting back to Jack.

Of course, when he had met the ghosts before, he had always singled them out and ground them into the dirt—he had never been stupid enough to take them on all at once. He knew his limits.

"GHOST!"

Then again, he had never had such a random, large, and surprisingly strong melee fighter with him. Vlad was much more focused and selective, and his pet did only what he was trained to do. Jack...had his own mind, and from the way he was brandishing even more weapons from seemingly nowhere...well. Daniel saw a way to defeat those arrayed against him.

"Mr. Fenton! Go after the Knight-looking one!" Daniel yelled before turning to face Desiree, a smirk on his face. From past experience, he knew that he would be unable to make Desiree transport _them_ (they weren't ghosts) somewhere—he had tried before—but he _could_ get her to do a number of rather..._interesting_...favors.

"Desiree!" he cried out, catching the genie-ghost's attention. "I wish that Hotep-Ra, Aragorn, and Undergrowth were back with the Observants and that Walker was back at his prison _now_ and that they stay there for the duration of this battle!"

Desiree looked absolutely astonished, since most people were never specific enough about their wishes, giving her much leeway to do whatever she wanted. The ritualistic words fell out of her mouth and the power gathered around her hands, prior to building around the specified ghosts. The four disappeared with a gasp and a flicker of power, leaving Daniel with significantly better odds (although not _quite_ the ones he would like), and Desiree briefly disoriented from the use of so much power.

Daniel heard the hum of Skulker's engines in time to avoid the net shot at him. His roll on the ground picked up pricklies that dug into his bare skin, making him wince. He sprang up onto his feet, looking at the smirking ghost.

"This is the second time you've avoided my grasp with surprising skill," Skulker commented, intrigued.

"I don't think it's _that_ hard to evade you, considering how many times Danny has done so effectively," Daniel drawled. "How can you be the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter when you can't even capture a _16-year-old _half_-ghost_?" he taunted, deliberately moving slowly to put himself in Spectra's sights.

He was going to prove a _very_ tempting target before setting up it so that Skulker, Bertrand, and Spectra all went down together.

As he moved and taunted Skulker, Daniel allowed his emotional control to slip. The leak of his inner agony and guilt pulled Spectra to him like a fly to honey. With her came Bertrand, with orders to keep Daniel stationary.

Beginning to feel the effects of loosening his control, Daniel's subsequent slump to the ground was both calculated and unintentional. Skulker's net flew over his head and snagged Bertrand _and_ Spectra in its confines, making Daniel smirk. Springing back up as he reinforced his steely control, he lunged at Skulker, and tackeled the startled ghost. Daniel's fingers flew across Skulker's suit's controls, and Daniel pushed away from the mechanical menace only seconds before the suit self-destructed, which sent the tiny possessing ghost flying into the darkness of the forest. Daniel stood and brushed non-existent dirt from his hands in satisfaction.

His moment of gloating didn't last, though, as he found himself dodging a number of potentially lethal notes from Ember's guitar, falling over himself as well as a few treacherous plant roots in his haste. "JACK!" he yelled out in as panicked-sounding a voice as he could manage (he would never admit to himself that part of it was genuine panic) as he scrambled to get away from the damage-inducing music.

"What?" The orange-jumpsuited man asked as he turned and fired simultaneously, knocking Ember out of the air through sheer luck.

"Thanks!" Daniel cried out in gratitude. Daniel then pushed himself up, brushed dirt off on him, and steadied himself on a nearby tree. Even though he wasn't using his ghost power overtly, he _was_ using what he had left to enhance his speed, strength, and damage-absorption, and it was exhausting him. The amount he had stolen from Plasmius wasn't near enough to keep him going, at least, not for long. But, he had to keep the pace if he wanted to survive. He saw Jack finish off Spectra and Bertrand before they could escape Skulker's net (while also inadvertently stomping on the hunter himself, leaving him pancaked on the forest floor).

_Good. We're whittling down ghosts._

Suddenly, Daniel was surprised from behind by a large, furry arm. Yelling and thrusting his elbow backwards, he caught the ghost in what would have been its diaphragm in a human, startling it into releasing him. Falling forward and rolling away, Dainel found himself looking at a confused Frostbite warily.

"I wish you would return to the Ghost Zone now and _stay there_," he snarled at Desiree, who obeyed with a dismayed wail, leaving only Frostbite, Ember, and the Fright Knight behind.

Daniel had forgotten about the Observant.

A skeletal hand curled around Daniel's arm making him gasp in shock and fall to his knees as pain seared through his body. He managed a snarl and threw the Observant towards Frostbite, alleviating the agony as soon as the Observant was no longer in contact with him.

At that point, all the ghosts were gaping at him, surprised.

"How does a human have a Mark?" the Observant demanded.

Daniel contrived to look confused. "What are you talking about?" he asked, heart in his throat.

"The symbol on your back. It's a Mark—it signifies those condemned to death for the worst crimes possible in the Ghost Zone," Frostbite murmured, looking quite disturbed.

Daniel gave him a skeptical look. "It's just a tattoo; anyway, I've never been touched by a ghost before. I suppose my body has a bad reaction to you guys."

It was a plausible excuse.

_How could the Observant see through my shirt, though? Human clothing tends to block it out entirely._

With a joyous cry, Jack managed to get rid of both the Fright Knight and Ember in a lucky shot, leaving them with just Frostbite and the Observant.

Daniel stood slowly and regarded the two ghosts with as much suspicion and apprehension as they were observing him.

Thankfully, they were distracted enough that they was caught unaware by Jack, who looked quite happy to have taken down four ghosts...even though there had been substantially more to start with.

Daniel gave the older man a weary smile before he staggered, one hand going to his forehead.

_I used too much energy when I didn't have any to start with_, he thought as he staggered. Daniel was only peripherally aware of the concern laving Jack's voice or how the large man was supporting him. The world narrowed and faded around him as he slowly fell into unconsciousness. Leaning heavily against the warm, neon weight at his side, Daniel prayed that none of the vanquished ghosts would find their way back soon.

Which brought him back to the current time, where he was struggling to recover all the energy he had lost and used.

"I think there must've been something in that pod of Undergrowth's," Daniel muttered wearily, making Danny start.

"What? Why?"

"I shouldn't be having this much trouble recovering my power," Daniel said softly. "I mean, I run out of energy _real _quickly and it takes a while for me to recover, but sleep usually does the trick."

"Really?"

"My stamina is crap compared to yours. So, while I can do more with what I have, I lose it far more quickly than you." _Unless I have someone to leech off of, that is..._

"Daniel?" Danny asked after a long moment of silence.

"Yes?"

Danny hesitated, then sighed before speaking: "I...you...why do you hate ghosts? I mean, more than even my parents hate them."

"I don't _hate_ ghosts. I just feel that unless they're useful to me, they aren't worth my time."

"Why?"

"Why?" Daniel repeated and paused. A sad smirk stole across his face before he voiced a dark chuckle. "That has everything to do with the second part of how I became what I am today—what broke my trust in ghosts as moral agents." Daniel looked at Danny. "I assume you want to hear that story."

"Well...yeah. I want to try and understand you, if only a little."

"I'll tell you what I told Jasmine—a noteworthy but futile enterprise," Daniel drawled and closed his eyes, hoping to recover a little more of his energy. "Alright. Here's the story."


	23. Marked

**Author:** Back again with another Daniel Story. ^_^ Again, a huge thank you to those who read, review, favorite, alert, etc. Your support is priceless to me. Also, tons of love go out to my marvelous beta, who catches when I make no sense. XD

**Disclaimer:** No. Just...no.

**Chapter 22**

This story actually happened _after_ I had shattered.

At the time, I was establishing a power base in the Ghost Zone. Ghosts saw me as an upstart, someone who could be taken care of with fair ease...ah, I loved proving them wrong. Training with Vlad has opened up all sorts of interesting doors to the usage of my power.

In any event...

One day, as I was traveling through the Ghost Zone to return to the mansion, I was ambushed by the Observants. Well, not by _them_, they're ineffective and weak on their own, much like Walker used to be. They rely on underlings to dispense their power and rules on those 'below' them. So, I was attacked by a bunch of the ghostly thugs under the employ of the Observants.

Unfortunately, I was tired. I had just come from..._visiting_...one of my favorite ghosts, which was always an interesting experience. I believe that I would not have been beaten had I been at my full power. But, there were too many ghosts and I ran out of power. Overwhelming me is the best way to defeat me. While my ability to manipulate energy is unrivaled, I _must_ finish my battles quickly—or get close enough to absorb energy from my opponent. Usually, I'm not lucky or close enough to fulfill the latter, although I have gotten better at combining hand-to-hand _and_ energy absorption. I've nearly gotten it down, but there are still some kinks in the technique I need to work out.

Details.

I lost.

Next I woke in a place that made Walker's cells look like deluxe suites. It was small, overcrowded, and _stank_. Through some snarling and intimidation, I managed to get myself some space. I tried to use my powers, but whatever I was bound with kept me from accessing my powers and/or returning to human form. Escaping would have been easy should I have been able to revert to my human half, as you should know. Remember that first encounter with Walker...?

Anyway.

Thankfully, they hadn't found where I hid the Ring.

Yes, _that_ Ring.

The Ring of Rage.

It _belongs_ to me.

Yes, I can use it.

Yes, I _have_ used it.

It's a _glorious_ feeling...too bad that there are side-effects. I'll show you what I mean later. The Ring and its use have everything to do with this story. Bear with me.

There's not much to tell about how I acquired the Ring. I found Pariah Dark and defeated him and the Fright Knight. After that, the Ring was mine.

Well, no, it wasn't an easy battle. Yes, I nearly died. The only way I survived was discovering how to break the will of stronger ghosts and get at their core. Did you know that ghosts can be possessed by humans in the Ghost Zone? Yeah, the same way humans can be possessed by ghosts in the Human World. Otherwise, it was just a fight. I survived and became stronger and wiser for it.

Continuing...?

As I said, they hadn't found where I hid the Ring. It's the same place I keep it now—I'll show you where once I'm done my...story.

So, I woke in a cramped, dark cell and bought myself space only through reputation. This solidified my belief that reputation really _is_ everything and deepened my resolution to find ways to further it. Through keeping my eyes and ears open, I figured out where I was...and what I was slated for.

I was in the tender care of the Observants, the one universally acknowledged body for forming and upholding the "law." Not everyone believed Walker had the right to do what he did, but as the Observants could see the future...well, they were more recognized.

As to what I was waiting for...I was to be put on trial for past _and_ future 'crimes'.

I have _no_ idea what they perceived as my future crimes. I _do_ know what my past ones were...

Anyway.

No, I'm not telling you. You'll either figure it out on your own or find out through an event that is utterly outside my control.

So. I have no idea how long I was in there. There was no change of light with which to judge the passage of time. All I knew was that every now and then one of the Observants' henchmen would come in and drag someone away.

By the time they took the fourth ghost away, I had formulated a plan. It made a few assumptions that I was pretty sure of, and took into account as many possibilities as I could think of.

Of course, it was a possibility that I hadn't accounted for that got me in the end. It always is.

Now, ghosts are utterly self-serving, especially the kind that I was locked up with. I knew that was what I would be able to count on more than anything else. I also knew that tensions were high in the situation I found myself in. These were all things that I could use, if guided with skillful care.

When the guards came in for me, I decided to put my plan into action. I deliberately lashed out and kicked a ghost in the back. This gave my the opportunity I needed, as it forced a kind of domino effect, which quickly turned into an all-out brawl. I attacked the preoccupied guards, and when a few of the more intelligent ghosts saw what I was doing, they threw in their lots with me.

The guards were quickly overwhelmed. I dashed out of the cell, followed by a torrent of other ghosts, once they saw that the cell door was open. I looked around, and was astonished to see three more similar cells.

I found out later that the division of cells were used to hold different levels of "criminals." At the time it didn't matter, though. I figured that the more ghosts on the loose, the more confusion created, which afforded me a greater possibility that I would escape. I used one of the downed guards to open the other holding cells before turning to leave.

I was completely astonished, then, when I found myself being held back by the very same ghosts I had just released.

More than just surprised, really—I was also quite insulted and angry at the betrayal. I fought against them, but, again, a mass of enemies against me when I am already weakened, and I'm good as beaten. Although I _had_ nearly made it out, even with those odds against me. I suppose desperation is better said to be the mother of invention, since I used some moves that I haven't been able to replicate since. It's frustrating.

I was eventually brought down by some of the guards, but I didn't make it easy for them. It was only once I lost consciousness that I was finally captured. I think I even managed to take some down even as I went out.

No, no, I'm okay. Just a little tired. Give me a moment and I'll start up again. Don't know why I'm having such a hard time recovering...

Anyway.

When I next woke, it was to blinding light. I tried to move, but was held utterly still, whatever was holding me kept as taut as possible with my body stretched to its _natural_ limit.

"You are the Observants," I said calmly as I could to the vague shadows before me.

"We are. And you, Danny Phantom, are on trial."

I chuckled softly. "Let me have my lawyer. My phone call. C'mon, there's a _procedure_ for these things."

"We do not follow your _human_ rules."

"Then why should I follow _yours?"_ I replied.

"Because you are both human _and_ ghost. You are equally bound by both sets of rules. We have in mind the best interests of the Human World and the Ghost Zone—and your removal will benefit all."

"So my sentence has already been decided," I said flatly. "Without even permitting me a token defense?"

"There is nothing for you to defend. Your past and future action speak for themselves."

"Am I to not even know what my future is? Surely I can change it."

"All possibilities have been considered."

"Bullshit," I spat. "You just want me out of the way so you can continue to have power over ghosts. I am a threat to your power, so you seek to have me removed."

There was a general murmur of uncertainty and discontent. It was the wrong thing to say, I know, but I was frustrated. _I_ knew what they were trying to do—why were they deceiving themselves into thinking that everything they did was for the good of the Ghost Zone? Ha, what a _joke_. Those in a position of power will do anything to remain in it, and getting rid of rivals is perhaps the most effective way, _especially_ when you can create a sensational reason as to why the rival needed removing.

"You are in no position to judge _us_."

"Of course I am," I drawled, having tested the bonds that held my power during the entire conversation. I just needed to drag things out long enough that I could scrape together some kind of resistance. Something to show the Observants that no matter how secure they thought themselves, they were just as vulnerable in their inner sanctum as outside it. "You are unable to see how _petty_ you are, sitting atop your moral high horse merely because you can see the future _to a degree_," I told them with a sneer.

They bristled and began to spout long-winded explanations about _why_ they were the best and the only _correct_ choice for controlling the otherwise lawless Ghost Zone. It gave me time to pull together enough energy to fry whatever they had bound me with.

Of course, it was merely a gesture of contempt. I passed out with the satisfaction of hearing them all gasp and panic at my apparent escape.

I was brought painfully back to consciousness when I felt something hot and sharp dig into my back. I jerked and a scream caught behind my teeth. It _hurt_.

My head wasn't allowed to move, caught in some kind of collar to keep it down, my back exposed entirely. Forcing my gaze up as far as I could, I settled on a lone Observant, looking as inscrutable as one of their kind could possibly get.

"What's going on?" I snapped out. The ghost actually jumped in surprise, both at the defiant tone in my voice and the fact that I was conscious.

"You are being punished."

"This doesn't," my breath hitched as the burning sensation began to pull slowly through the ectoplasm of my ghostly body, "feel like you're killing me."

"This isn't your execution. Yet." the ghost responded, hiding its long skeletal hands in its voluminous sleeves. "Since you have proved yourself both crafty and strong, you are being Marked."

"That was a capital M. What's _that _supposed to mean?" I asked, keeping my voice steady even though my entire body was vibrating in agony.

"The Mark that is being..._emblazoned_...onto your body is visible to any ghost, no matter what you may do to hide it. If any ghost should see your back—which is where we have decided to locate the Mark—they will know to return you for immediate execution."

"It's like I'm walking around carrying a 'kill me' sign on me all the time, huh?" I drawled, and my body involuntarily convulsed as whatever was being used to brand me dragged across a particularly sensitive spot. "How _neolithic_," I spat.

I discovered at a later point that I could keep ghosts from seeing the Mark—as long as I am in human form wearing human clothing. Quite useful, considering I lived in a household where there were lots and lots of ghosts coming in and out.

"You are too dangerous to be allowed to roam freely. Once this procedure is finished, you will be given an hour's time to consider your sins. After that, you will be promptly eliminated."

The Observant left after that statement, leaving me to the pain.

Thing is, they must have thought I wouldn't be able to think _during_ the procedure, because I know they dragged _that_ out as long as possible. It gave me lots of time to consider the most recent events in my life.

The one thought that finally crystallized into an inescapable truth was this: I could trust _no-one_. Not human, not ghost, and most certainly not my Self.

As I was dragged away from that chamber, I saw a pool of ectoplasm and blood where I had been bound. I left bloody streaks in my wake, and when I was thrown into the cell that I would be allowed my last hour of life, I left splatters of glowing fluid on the back of the cell as I curled in on myself from the sudden, all-consuming pain resulting from the impact.

Once the door closed, all I could do was lie there, head spinning, until I heard voices near my cell that were different than those of the guards'. Out of morbid curiosity, I crawled over to the door, and laid my head near the crack in the door.

"...sure this is the right decision?"

"He's a threat to the safety and security of the entire Ghost Zone and the Human World! How can this be the _wrong_ decision?"

"You Saw what he did to Pariah Dark—do you really want someone with _that_ much power running around? You saw how Dark was corrupted by power, and you know how much it took for us to cage him. Daniel is _intelligent_ as well as powerful. He simply can not be allowed to live."

"But, like you said, he _is_ intelligent. He can see reason. He isn't ruled merely by his emotions."

"_All_ humans are ruled by their emotions."

There was a sigh. "He could be a powerful ally. If we acquit him and remove the Mark, he should be grateful and willing to help us—imagine having someone with control of the Ring to aid us!"

"You give him too much credit. He'll never work with us—his allegiance is only to himself, and, possibly, his foster-father."

"You can't be serious! He must be taken care of, then! Having _Plasmius_ running amok is bad enough—having those two working together? That would mean disaster!"

"You are letting _your_ emotions rule you. _Think._ Things will be delicate, but he's a fragile creature. He latches onto things that he can easily understand, and if we present ourselves..."

"NO. If we want to maintain order and peace in the Ghost Zone, we can _not_ allow him to live. Nothing can stand above our Law. Can you imagine what would happen...?"

There was an uneasy, pensive silence.

"You have a point," one of the speakers conceded.

"The verdict still stands, then?"

"For his past misdeeds against both humans and ghosts, and to ensure order and peace in both the Ghost Zone and the Human world, Danny Phantom must perish."

I could have laughed, but my mouth was full of blood and the laugh would have come out as a liquid wheeze. Danny Phantom had already perished. Who were they kidding?

I rolled onto my back and listened to the remained of their conversation, eyes closed. I retrieved the Ring from where I had hidden it and held it in my hand, "looking" at it with my power. It hadn't worked for me any of the other times that I had tried, but I had exhausted my options and had nothing to lose. Afterall, I was to die. Might as well go out in a blaze of glory.

I slipped it on one bloody finger and concentrated all my will, all my remaining energy into the ghostly power-well. I don't know how long I lay there, but the memories of what had happened to me began to circle in my head. In my mind, the Observants' words, their dispassionate debate over my life and Fate took on an existence of their own. I could feel the blood clotting on my back, scabbing over to a bloody mess_._

My depression slowly turned to indignant anger. What was I doing, lying here and taking it mutely? Like they said, I _was_ strong! I _was_ smart! And I sure as hell would _not_ let myself be killed by mere _ghosts._

They really ought to have listened to those that advocated acquitting me. Not that it would have done them any good.

It was then that I figured out why it's called the Ring of Rage. The key that opened it to me, aside from my own blood and will, was the intense emotion of pure, all-consuming _rage._ My exhaustion had given way to anger, to rage, and it felt as if a dam had broken, sending waves of sheer _power_ through me.

I felt _invincible_, and, for all intents and purposes, I was. It was _trivial_ to escape my cell after that. But I wasn't content in mere escape. I wanted to humiliate those who had sought to destroy me. They would learn just what kind of Power they were playing with.

I walked calmly into their auditorium, and they all gasped as one. They called guards down on me, but it was futile. My lack of stamina was compensated for by the depthless power of the Ring. Once they were done throwing guards at me I destroyed all the strongest leaders, and their most devoted followers. Once I had finished, the only Observants left were the weak-willed, ones that were no match against my stronger resolve.

I bent the Observants to me, and in my home reality I controlled the Observants' High Council, and, therefore, the _entire Ghost Zone._

That experience broke my faith with ghosts, allowing me to see them for what they really are—tools, and nothing more. I had treated them well enough, mostly, had seen them as agents of their own, as _people_ even. But, the sheer callousness that I thought only _humans_ could possess, and the fact that they behaved in a manner where they bit the hand that helped them...well. I had become disillusioned by both humans and ghosts. I had no-one to rely on but myself.

That, also, helped create the person I am now.

-

Danny was speechless for a long moment and looked utterly horrified.

Daniel smiled bitterly, although he could feel his reserves finally replenishing. "I usually avoid death as a resolution to my problems, though. It's too messy and inelegant."

Danny swallowed and shook his head. "I can't believe that. I just..." his shoulders slumped before his eyes returned to Daniel. "Let me see. Where you keep the Ring and the...Mark."

Daniel paused then sighed. "Very well. I _did_ say that I would show you." Pushing himself into a sitting position, Daniel turned his hand intangible and phased it through his chest, making Danny gasp in surprise. The older half-ghost found the Ring in his ghost energy and withdrew it, both his hand and the Ring becoming tangible cleanly.

"Here," Daniel murmured as he held the artifact up for Danny's inspection, "is the Ring."

The younger teen's jaw dropped. "It's the real thing, isn't it?"

"Of course," Daniel said cheerfully before placing it back in its hiding place...just in case Danny tried something stupid like taking it away to keep Daniel from using it again. "As for the Mark..." Daniel hesitated, then phased out of his shirt, catching it on his forearms. "You should be able to see it—actually, you probably have seen it before, since Vlad and I can."

Daniel held still as Danny walked behind him, even though every instinct yelled at him to turn around. If he remained facing Danny, he couldn't be taken by surprise.

Still...this was _Danny._ He could trust the younger half-ghost...unlike basically everyone else that had moved into his life.

Cool, gentle hands touched the sweeping, searing curves of the brand that Marked him in the Ghost Zone as one condemned to oblivion. "I thought this was a tattoo when I first saw it," Danny murmured.

"Nope."

"I don't think _anyone_ deserves this," Danny said, voice soft and heated. "No matter what they did."

Daniel smiled wryly. "I wish you were right. Perhaps you'll think differently, some day. Perhaps not."

"Can Jazz see it?"

"No."

"You don't want her to?"

"No, she just _can't_. When I had to change for gym class no-one ever commented. I checked the gossip circles quite carefully, among both the guys and the girls; however, it appeared that no full-human can see it. I _know_ that ghosts can—it was made to be that way—and Vlad and I can, as we are part-ghost. The only time Jasmine should be able to see it would be immediately after I used the Ring."

"Oh?"

"There are a few side-effects of using the Ring. One is that my Mark breaks open. As in, bleeds ectoplasm/blood. Physically and copiously. It's like...a _reminder_ of why I have the Mark and the price of power. Other than that, it leaves me light-headed and exhausted, both physically and emotionally spent. I'm as weak as a kitten for a _minimum_ of two hours or so after using the Ring. That's why I don't use the Ring all that much—I don't want to become dependent upon it for my strength. I've also never used it around normal humans, so I've never had to worry about said side-effects."

"Still...that sounds painful."

"Oh, it _definitely_ is. But..." Daniel shrugged. "I've always been willing to pay the price."

Danny frowned and looked thoughtful. "Wait...you've met the Observants but not Clockwork?"

Daniel shook his head. "I've heard rumors of the ghost's existence, but I never met him. It appeared that he refused to help the Observants with regards to me. It's...funny, almost. As if he was deliberately turning a blind eye to me and my actions." Daniel shrugged. "If there is any ghost I am unable to fathom, it's that one." Daniel looked at Danny. "You've met him before, though."

Danny nodded. "But I've never met the Observants."

"Really?" Daniel asked, amused. "I suppose they must have asked Clockwork to intervene regarding you and he actually did so. By the way, the Observants," Daniel said and stood, "look like _this."_ Daniel transformed smoothly into a duplicate of an Observant and Danny's jaw dropped.

"Finally got the change of coloration right..." Daniel murmured and returned to his human form. The older half-ghost was shaking from the exertion, although Danny was too surprised to notice.

"I'm more surprised by your transformation. There's...nothing signifying it at all."

"Hm? Oh, I _didn't _transform—I barely need to transform to do anything anymore," Daniel answered flippantly, although his voice trembled in exhaustion.

Danny looked incredulous.

"Well, you know how you can use your ghost ray, invisibility, intangibility, ice and stuff without having to transform, right? I've gotten good enough control over my energy that the only time I have to transform is when I'm using an unfamiliar or complicated move or want a disguise. I'm sure that one day I'll be able to use a version of the Ghostly Wail when in human form."

"You know that?!"

"Of course. Ever since I saw you do it, I had put all my spare time to good use, trying to figure out just how you manage it. I mastered it about a month after I arrived."

Danny looked slightly smug. "I learned it not even a _day_ after seeing it for the first time."

"It still exhausts you, though. You don't use it unless you think that it'll end the battle—I've watched you fight, you know. For me...well, it's no different than firing a ghost ray."

Danny's expression faded to a scowl and Daniel lightly ruffled the teen's hair. "Lighten up, little badger," Daniel teased. "I _am_ a few years older than you _and_ had a teacher."

Danny's expression soured further at Daniel's use of Vlad's nickname. "Why does he call me that anyway?" Danny grumbled.

"My guess? The University of Wisconsin's mascot is the badger."

"Really?"

"Danny."

"Sorry. Reflex question."

"It's okay. You should get to sleep."

Danny was about to move to set up his own sleeping bag, but hesitated and looked curiously at Daniel. "When I saw you in your ghost form, I didn't really pay attention to what you looked like. Could you show me?"

Daniel paused, then sighed and stood. "Fine."

A thought later, Daniel felt the cloak curl around his ankles as he watched Danny's face.

This time, the surprise was amusing. "In case you wanted to know, before I came here my outfit was basically like yours, with only minor differences. The coloring remained silver and black with normal ghost eyes—well, normal for us—until I arrived here. I was surprised by the changes," he murmured as he looked at his gloved hands.

"The cloak is cool," Danny told him and Daniel chuckled softly before returning to his human self.

"I'm glad you think so," he said with a slightly shaky smile. "I'm still learning how to fight with it without becoming overdramatic. The temptation is ridiculously strong," he said, voice muffled as he pulled his T-shirt back on.

Danny snickered, making Daniel smirk.

"Come. You need sleep. You certainly find enough trouble."

Danny snickered as Daniel lay back down. Hearing his younger self settle down next to him, Daniel's lips twisted into a small, sad smirk. Within a few minutes, the younger half-ghost's breathing had evened out into sleep.

_I don't think he'll mind that I left parts out and modified others. I told him more or less the truth. Just...there are a few things he doesn't need to hear._

Sighing, Daniel shifted into a more comfortable position, hoping that he'd have fully recovered when he next woke.

–

_Daniel glowered at the ghost in front of him, feeling cool ecto-blood flowing down his back. He screamed in pain before fixing his glare on the Observant again. "Do you do this to _all_ your 'convicts'?" Daniel spat, his voice slightly hoarse from his screams, which the Observant seemed to take immense pleasure in._

"_Oh, no. Just the ones like you—the ones who are too strong, too defiant, too malignant."_

"_If you're just going to execute me anyway, why bother with this?" Daniel growled. _

_The Observant floated over and ran a taloned hand along Daniel's cheek, drawing blood. "A precaution. Should you somehow escape—and I have no doubt that you're strong and willful enough to find a way around our wards—you won't be able to escape the sigil on your back. In a way, you will always belong to the Observants's Court."_

_Daniel snarled defiantly and strained against his bonds. "I belong to _no-one!"_ he shouted. _

_Two guards peeked in, but the Observant dismissed them with a wave of its hands. "I beg to differ. For the rest of your existence, you'll always carry this with you, a visible mark of a Sinner."_

"_Who are you to decide what is and is not sin?"_

"_Does not your human God say that murder is unforgivable?"_

"_God?" Daniel said derisively. "If there is a God, he or she gave up on me a long, long time ago. And anyway, as far as I know, _those_ rules apply only to humans. You are unnatural products of residual human consciousness. You're as human as an intelligent dog."_

_The Observant backhanded Daniel, who laughed through the blood in his mouth. _

"_You would think that this would teach you respect," the ghost told him coldly._

"_Respect?" Daniel laughed. "If I endured worse from _humans_ and hold no respect for them, what makes you think that you branding me like cattle will teach me respect and humility?"_

_Daniel somehow knew that if the Observant had a mouth, it would have been pulled back in a smirk. "Perhaps having the Mark visible in both your human _and_ ghost forms will emphasize the lesson."_

_Daniel's eyes widened slightly and he was about to snarl a reply when the quality of the pain changed, making him scream in agony. _

"_And you call _me_ malicious," Daniel ground out, eyes bright with pain and anger. _

_The Observant chuckled slightly. "It's all for the good of the Ghost Zone and Human World."_

"_Tell me, what of my future? What is so dire within it that I would need to be eliminated?"_

_The Observant looked at Daniel for a long moment before its chuckle echoed through the chamber. "You do not ask about your past crimes, though."_

"_Oh, I can guess what _those_ are easily enough. What I did to Pariah Dark. To the Box Ghost. To Walker. My subjugation of sections of the Ghost Zone to _my_ will. I can guess easily enough what qualifies as my past crimes. But, what of my future crimes?"_

_The Observant took Daniel's head lightly in one of its hands, and Daniel could feel him beginning to bleed where the ghost's talons dug into his skin. "Do you want to know a little secret, half-ghost?"_

_Daniel raised an eyebrow before his body convulsed and a howl escaped his throat._

"_You have such a beautiful voice," the Observant told Daniel, who gave him a dirty glare. _

"_You're sick."_

"_No worse than you."_

_Daniel paled from more than blood-loss._

"_What, you think we didn't know about your insanity? About your motivations? Foolish child."_

"_I. Am. _Not._ A. Child."_

"_I have seen 3 centuries. You haven't seen even a quarter of one. You are a child."_

_Daniel snarled and fought against his bonds again before quelling his temper. "What's this secret of yours?" he asked softly._

"_Our Sight is blocked regarding your future. Mull that over," the Observant told Daniel in a soft, conspiratorial whisper._

"_Now," the ghost said, "I leave you to your thoughts."_

_It floated out of the room, leaving a stunned Daniel behind._

They can't see my future? Then...what...?

_Through the pain that consumed his senses, one thought slowly formed in his mind._

LIARS! You will _pay_ for this!


	24. Confrontation

**Author**: Merry Christmas! No, no...this isn't a sign of me planning on updating on a consistent basis. It'll still be sporadic. Sorry about that. Daniel just...*sigh*

**Disclaimer**: hahaha...no.

---

Daniel's breath caught in his throat for entirely different reasons than before. "You are certain of this, pet?" he asked, a dire warning in his voice.

Flinching, the ghost nodded quickly. "Yes, Master. Of those of us brought across time, the only ones who are left I can locate...are _we."_

Daniel's eyes closed and he rubbed his temples. "Look again," he snapped, eyes opening as his hand reached out to jerk on the short chain attached to Walker's collar. "And look _carefully_. I do _not_ believe that Vlad could have gone out so easily. _Search again,"_ Daniel snarled and threw Walker back, making the ghost grunt in pain as it hit a nearby tree. "And be _thorough._ Do not return to me unless you are abso-_fucking_-lutley certain of your facts."

"Yes, Master."

"The standard rules apply. If you fail me this time, however, you _will_ be punished. Severely."

The ghost looked terrified, nodding quickly and emphatically before vanishing.

Daniel waited until he was certain his pet was gone before rubbing his eyes with a hand, face taut in a grimace.

_Fuck. Fuck fuckity fuck fuck _FUCK._ I don't want to be alone. I don't want to lose my family _again_. Throughout this trip the one thing keeping me going was the knowledge that Vlad would be waiting for me when I finally return. Now...it's entirely possible that he's gone _for good_._

Daniel's eyes focused on nothing for a long moment before he sighed and turned. Teleporting back into the car, Daniel settled into his clone before picking up the sentence exactly where he had left off in his book.

He tried to keep his body relaxed, but he couldn't help the tension that crept into his posture. Danny had gotten good enough at reading him that he caught the younger half-ghost giving him a concerned look, which he returned with a reassuring smile. Danny didn't appear convinced.

"What are you reading?" the younger teen asked and Daniel looked at his book.

"My bible."  
"You're religious?"

"Not Bible with a capital 'B'. It's my bible in the sense that I've come across no other piece of literature with the uncanny ability to break down human interaction into simple terms. It tells you how you can choose to live...if you want to thrive. It doesn't promise salvation, but I'm not looking for salvation. I'm just looking to exist comfortably."

"Let me see," Danny half-asked, half-demanded.

Daniel handed over the book, watching Danny quickly skim the table of contents. Blanching at some of the content, the teen's expression ranged from startled to thoughtful, and all points in between.

"I...I don't know if this is a good thing to live by," he finally said after a long silence.

"It's not _moral,"_ Daniel said and shrugged, taking the book back. "But it certainly helps me flourish."

"But, still..!"

Daniel shrugged. "You live your way, I'll live mine. There're two other books in this series that are equally amoral, yet fascinating and useful—this is the best of them, though," Daniel said, gently tapping the book's cover.

Jazz looked over her brother to the book that was lying in Daniel's lap. "Can I see?"

Daniel shrugged and passed it over. It was harder to read Jazz's thoughts, but Daniel was able to make educated guesses as to what she was thinking. Just because one is smart doesn't mean one is good at concealing one's thoughts.

"Well...this explains a lot," Jazz finally said after a long moment of silence.

Daniel smirked faintly and accepted the book back, opening it to the page where he had stopped reading.

"It seems like you've read it many times," Jazz commented.

"I know it almost word-for-word," Daniel murmured and lightly, lovingly passed his finger over the top of the pages. "It makes so much _sense_."

"I suppose," she said slowly.

Daniel gave her a half-smile. "I repeat what I said to Danny: you live your way, I'll live mine."

"Your way seems quite lonely, though."

"Never," Daniel replied with a smile. "I'm always surrounded by creatures of all kinds as I work with them. I'm rarely ever alone."

"There is a difference between being alone and being lonely."

"This is true. But I'm neither alone nor lonely," Daniel replied in a murmur. "I am touched by your concern, though. It's been a while since more than one person was concerned about my well-being."

"How are you feeling, Daniel?" Maddie asked as she turned in her seat to look at the older teen.

_Three now, hm? _"Much better, thank you," Daniel replied with a grateful smile.

"You gave us quite a scare, you know. I've never seen anyone react as poorly to a ghost as you did."

Daniel shrugged slightly and gave her a weary smile. "I suppose my constitution is more delicate than I thought—with regards to ghosts, at least. I just _barely _managed to escape that pod thing the plant ghost had me and your husband in."

"How _did_ you do that?"

"Luck, more than anything else," Daniel lied smoothly. "I must've hit a nerve or something when I was struggling inside it." He finished, sounding more than a little baffled. "I didn't think plants _had_ nerves, though...guess it's a ghost thing?"

"So, how do you feel about ghosts, now that you've had first-hand experience with them?"

Daniel appeared to think. "They're...interesting—unlike anything else I've come across before." He paused. "You know what, though? I don't think ghosts are evil," Daniel said, which surprised everyone in the car. He _knew_ that every line of his posture spoke pure stubbornness and that only a really, _really_ good argument would make him consider otherwise.

"How can you say that? Look at all the destruction they've caused!" Maddie protested. "Look at what they did to _you_!"

"Then people are evil, too. They've done far worse to me—to other people—than any ghost ever could. _People_ have caused far more damage than any _ghost_ has."

"People can _change_ and correct their mistakes! Ghosts don't have that kind of capability."

"Ghosts are self-serving in the purest meaning of the word—they look out _only_ for themselves and their own interests, regardless of the consequences to others. That doesn't make them evil," Daniel asserted.

"We _do_ call people who behave in that manner evil, sometimes."

"Ghosts don't _know_ any better. You can't be selfless in a world or a society, that has no place for altruism. In our human world, there are certain expectations, the whole love-thy-neighbor nonsense. Only the most _human_ of ghosts can conceive of caring for and about someone other than themselves."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm observant and curious. Since I'm now living in one of the most—if not _the_ most—actively haunted places in America, I did some research into ghosts and things related. I found a number of old papers that you and your husband wrote in college. They were...elucidating."

"You found an old paper of ours?!" Jack asked turning away from the road, obviously excited.

"How?" Maddie asked warily as she reached over and took the wheel, keeping them from hitting into a tree.

"The internet," Daniel had answered with a small shrug. "You can find _anything_ these days."

"Still, our papers weren't exactly 'pro-ghost'," Maddie replied before turning in her seat and gasping, cauing Jack to focus on the road.

"What? What?!"

"I think I saw a ghost!"

"Where'd it go?! Where'd it go?" jack asked quickly, eyes narrowing as he searched the terrain.

"Perhaps" Daniel commented in response to Maddie's statement about her and her husband's papers, "but they did point me to other sources to examine." Daniel shrugged. "As I've said before, it's a casual fascination."

"But one you know in fair detail and have strong opinions on."

Daniel shook his head. "I research when I'm bored, but I can't say I have _strong_ opinions about ghosts..."

_Well, not opinions that I'm willing to share._

"Strong enough that you're willing to argue with me."

"I'm always ready to play Devil's Advocate. So, tell me," Daniel said with a faint smirk, "aside from being self-centered and self-serving, how can ghosts be called evil?" There was a challenge in his voice, and his expression said that he didn't think that Maddie or Jack would be able to _truly_ convince him that ghosts were evil beyond all hope. It was a deliberate, calculated provocation. Daniel _knew_ he would be in for a long, complicated argument, and that it would be almost as fun as butting heads with his foster-father.

"Guys, I don't think we should argue about ghosts right now," Jazz said calmly, which decided Daniel on being truly spiteful and attempt to drag Jazz into the argument.

"What do _you_ think about ghosts, Jasmine? You're a skeptic—how you believe in ghosts is _beyond_ me," Daniel drawled, voice incredulous, although his eyes were sparkling wickedly. "What's your opinion? Are they evil? Simply misguided? Suffering from some form of post-death psychological trauma?"

Jazz gave Daniel a glare that he returned with a sweet smile.

"Ghosts aren't human," she said, "and so cannot be held up to human standards."

"So their personalities and actions should be judged based on 'ghost standards'? What are _those_? How can they be defined?" Daniel asked.

"They _can't_ be, which is why we have to compare them to the only available alternative—humans. Afterall, one theory is that ghosts were originally human, and therefore must maintain some of their former consciousness," Maddie replied.

"Uh-huh. Who says that the Self, or 'consciousness', survives bodily death? What if the ghosts don't remember ever being human? How can they be expected to act on rules they no longer know?"

Maddie frowned. "That doesn't change the fact that they are menaces to society."

"Yeah!" Jack agreed emphatically, the RV swerving dangerously as his attention wandered back to the conversation.

"_People_ are menaces to society, but that doesn't mean that we should kill them all. Also, consider this: are the ghosts you encounter _truly_ representative of the ghostly population?"

"What?"

"I mean, consider the news. _Most_ things shown are about people committing atypical violence. If an alien caught our news, they'd assume that we're primarily a violent, dangerous race—deserving only of being wiped out so as to stop causing each other, and potentially those elsewhere, harm. But that's not true, is it now? Most people _don't_ act out—they simply go about living mundane existences in which nothing truly spectacular or out-of-the-ordinary ever occurs. Think it might be the same with ghosts?"

Silence reigned and Daniel didn't bother to contain the smug smirk. He _knew_ he had a point that they couldn't entirely refute.

"It still doesn't change what they've done throughout history to people," Maddie asserted.

"I'll admit, most of the stories you hear passed down make out Western ghosts to be evil, malicious creatures out to harm. That doesn't mean most of the stories are true, though."

"Why are you defending ghosts?"

"Why not? This is fun, debating with you," Daniel said with a cheshire smile. "I haven't had a good half-argument like this in what feels like forever." _It's gotten hard to bait Vlad into a good row. While I know this won't turn out to be like that _at all_, it's fun matching wits._ "Have you ever _spoken_ with a ghost? Interacted with one that you weren't trying to shoot out of the sky?" Daniel asked.

"No, have you?"

"No," Daniel lied easily. "But I can imagine it would be interesting."

"It probably wouldn't stop to try and have a conversation, which is why we don't bother."

"Alright, let's suppose that the majority of ghosts _are_ 'evil'. What happens when you accidently hurt something that could have potentially been an ally against other evil, stronger ghosts?"

"We probably wouldn't need any help."

"What about all the times when Danny Phantom helped? There are a number of battles that would not have been won without his aid."

"The ghost-boy is…complicated. Anyway, have _you_ ever fought against a ghost?"

"Only under your supervision," Daniel demurred. "Otherwise, they seem outside of my skill set—I can defend myself against human opponents, not ghostly ones. Although I'd _like_ to learn."

"So you say that they're dangerous?"

"Being dangerous doesn't make them evil. _You_ are dangerous, Mrs. Fenton. You have a blackbelt, afterall. You're also an exceptional shot, among other things. Are _you_ evil?"

"This isn't about me."

"No, but I'm free to use you as an example, aren't I?"

"Guys, seriously. Can we stop?" Danny cut in as he clung to the seat, his father trying to keep up with Daniel and his mother's banter.

Daniel looked at a ruffled, uncomfortable Danny and smiled faintly. "Fine. I suppose this ends in the conclusion of 'to each his or her own,' doesn't it?"

The conversation was forcefully veered down a different path after that, although Daniel caught everyone in the car watching him from time to time.

Politely ignoring them, Daniel went back to reading his book. It annoyed Daniel that he found his thoughts often drifting back to his foster-father.

_I don't have to worry about that ass,_ he groused inwardly. _He survived. I just _know._ We'll find each other...somehow._

–

They were in the final leg of their journey, and Daniel was torn between desperately wanting it to end, and wanting to not go back to work. Watching the scenery fly by with Danny passed out on his shoulder, the slight snores made Daniel exchange amused, indulgent smiles with Jazz. After the discussion on ghosts, there had been few to speak of. Mostly everywhere they went there were few to none. It was a kind of relief, for Daniel at least. He enjoyed fighting them far too much, and he _knew_ that he'd slip up around the Fentons and they'd demand to know how he came to be so good at ghost hunting.

Of course, he already had a _very_ convincing story concocted, but he didn't want to have to actually use it unless absolutely necessary.

Daniel was listening to music when a chill wracked his body, telling him more than one ghost was within his sensing range. He slowly took his earbuds out and focused on the sensation, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

They were all familiar signatures, although only one that he knew intimately.

_Why is my pet here? This can mean only bad things—he knows he's not supposed to approach me when I'm with other people._

Daniel flinched slightly when he felt his pet ghost into him, swirling inside him until he hid in the Ring, terrified and desperate. Daniel's swore inwardly. _He only does that when he's on the run from something beyond his ability. Oh, we're going to have a _talk_ after this._

After only a moment, both RV alarms and Danny's ghost sense went off, alerting the rest in the RV that there was a ghost—or ghosts—nearby. All sorts of screens came down from the ceiling, showing different views of the outside. Focusing on a cluster of ghostly energy, the screens eventually resolved into a visual-wavelength picture of Bullet and some of his goons.

"Bullet?" Danny said softly, surprised. "What is he doing out _here_?"

"Looking for you?" Daniel speculated.

"But, why? Walker hasn't been after me late—"

The RV rocked as weapons deployed from almost every nook and cranny. Maddie took down something that looked remarkably like a periscope while pressing large red buttons on either side that let off a beam of bright energy (which hit its target more often than not). The RV—being driven by Jack—veered wildly, scattering the ghosts. The vehicle screeched to a stop and the two adults nearly fell over themselves getting out, the three teens exiting at a slightly more sedate pace.

"It's weird to see Bullet out here on his own without Walker," Daniel murmured, as they picked out weapons. Daniel dug out the gun he had been tinkering with while everyone else slept, checking it over quickly to make sure it was in working order. Surveying the scene to find a good place he could snipe from, Daniel jumped in surprise when a beam of energy exploded between Danny, Jazz, and himself, momentarily blinding the three.

Daniel scowled once his vision recovered and reached for his ghost power to augment any beam of energy he would fire from his customized weapon.

Only to find himself utterly unable to reach it.

"Danny, can you get to your ghost power?" he asked, voice absolutely calm, despite the internal slide to outright panic.

Danny frowned, puzzled by the request. "Why?"

"Just do it."

Daniel knew the moment that Danny discovered that his paranormal abilities were beyond his reach from the horror that dawned on the young half-ghost's face.

"Like the new weapon, ghost-child?" drawled a familiar voice, and the three teens turned to face Walker.

Before Walker could utter another syllable, the ghost found himself blasted backwards. Daniel's face betrayed no emotion as he watched his attack send Walker into the metal railing that edged the road, the ghost's impact causing quite a dent. While they were closer to civilization, they had been forced to take the less-used roads because of the structure of the RV. Thankfully, this meant that they were the only ones really in danger of being hurt.

"Like the new weapon, ghost?" Daniel drawled in a near-perfect imitation of Walker.

"You again," Walker growled as the ghost recovered.

At that moment, a contingent of Walker's guards swooped down on them, causing Daniel to swear under his breath in frustration.

Firing off two more shots, Daniel sent Walker right back to where he had first appeared. As Danny and Jazz were caught up in the battle against the goons, it was easy to slip away.

Though forced to remain human, Daniel evaded the goons' shots with practiced ease. He grunted in pain as a lucky shot made contact and snarled as the sensation jumped along his nerves. He pushed through the pain, though, and managed to make it to Walker.

"How do we reverse the effect of your weapon on Danny?" he asked as he walked over to the prone ectoplasmic entity.

Casually changing the setting on his gun, Daniel fired off a shot meant to prevent the ghost from being able to escape him. The ghost groaned in disorientation as Daniel picked him up. It took a few shakes to get Walker to focus his attention on Daniel.

"Tell me how to reverse the effects of your little device," Daniel demanded softly.

"Or what?" the ghost slurred.

"Feisty, are we? That can be remedied quite easily," Daniel murmured, the smallest of gentle smiles on his face.

Walker's eyes narrowed in defiance and Daniel saw energy charging around the ghost's hands. With his free hand, he brought the gun to Walker's shoulder, switched the setting once more and fired.

The ghost stared as his arm vanished.

Daniel smiled. "That just blocked the flow of ectoplasm/ectoenergy there. Your arm will come back...eventually. Accompanied by a significant amount of pain."

Walker stared, astonished. "Who are you?"

Daniel shrugged. "Tell me how to reverse the effects of your weapon."

"No."

"Oh, good. I was _hoping_ you'd say that." Daniel lowered the gun and fired at Walker's knee. From there down vanished, causing Walker to shudder. "I can do this all day," Daniel purred. "But I don't think you'll last that long."

Releasing his hold on the ghost, Daniel let it drop to the ground. "I wonder what'll happen if I shoot you in the head. Do you want to find out?" he asked, with apparently innocent curiosity.

Walker blanched. "You wouldn't."

Daniel smiled pleasantly. "How do you know that?"

"There is no way to reverse it except time!" Walker replied in obvious astonishment to Daniel's warning shot—a hair's-breadth away from the ghost's head.

"How long?"

"Not certain. This was our first time testing against a half-ghost."

"Uh-huh. Tell me, warden—what brought you here?"

When it appeared Walker wouldn't answer, Daniel fired another shot that left Walker with a single limb. The ghost flinched.

"We followed and impostor here. That it brought us to the ghost-child was only an added benefit."

"An impostor?" Daniel asked, raising an eyebrow delicately, voice incredulous. _Oh, yes. My pet and I are going to have a _very_ long conversation._

"Someone who looked like me but wasn't. Was trying to run things in _my_ prison."

"I see. Thank you for being so _cooperative_, Walker," Daniel purred before leaving the disabled ghost behind. Returning to the gun to its default setting, Daniel departed back to the main battle. Slipping in beside Danny and Jazz, he noted that they hadn't noticed his absence due to the chaos caused by the number of combatants involved.

Daniel gave them a small smile and a shrug as he brought their attention to him by shooting down an enemy. "Sorry. I got distracted."

"Oh?" Jazz asked, eyebrows raising slightly.

Daniel nodded nonchalantly, not bothering to elaborate. "Yup. Now, let's get the rest of these out of here."

The battle proceeded at a decent clip, and within thirty minutes, all of Walker's minions and Walker (who had fully regenerated, though utterly exhausted by the excruciating agony of regeneration by that time) were defeated and in the confines of the Thermos.

Which led to the current moment, with all of them cooling down. "We should get going," Maddie said with a small sigh as her eyes scanned the landscape. "We'll make camp soon. Tomorrow we should be home."

Daniel flopped down breathlessly on the ground and laughed slightly, Danny joining him not long after. "That was...interesting."

"How _is_ it that you draw trouble to you like a fucking _magnet?"_ Daniel asked, looking at his younger self with no small amount of amusement.

Danny shrugged and gave Daniel a half-smile so reminiscent of his own that it made him snicker inwardly before Danny said, "I'm just special that way."

"Of course you are," Daniel drawled.

"You two alright?" Jazz asked, walking over to them.

"Uh-huh."

"Perfectly fine."

"Couldn't be better."

"Getting thrown around like a yo-yo is _totally_ my idea of a good time."

Jazz laughed. "You two certainly are a team."

The two looked at each other and shrugged. "I suppose," Daniel murmured. "You seem to be doing well," Daniel observed, directing the comment to Jazz.

"It was a nice change of pace, saving _your_ butts instead of you helping us—the ghosts seemed much more focused on Danny."

Daniel snorted. "Tsk tsk Danny. Didn't know you were a wanted man," he teased, making Danny lightly punch him.

Catching Danny's hand, Daniel pulled and threw the younger teen over one shoulder, making Danny yelp.

"Fine, fine, abuse me more, _please_," Danny grumbled and rubbed his sore shoulder after making contact with the ground. Daniel merely grinned at him.

"You two are nuts," Jazz said affectionately.

Daniel smiled and chuckled softly before he was tackled from behind by Danny in retribution, resulting in a brief scuffle (which Daniel won).

"So, who was that ghost? It seems like you've met before," Daniel said innocently, more for the benefit of the parents who were there than his own as he held a squirming Danny in a loose headlock.

"Yeah," Jazz answered, momentarily confused before she realized that her parents were behind her.

"Did it have a name?" Daniel asked, tilting his head slightly as he let a flustered Danny loose. "It seems like the ones who frequent Amity tend to."

"We think his name is Walker," Maddie offered. "That ghost seems to have a special kind of control over other ghosts," Maddie murmured, obviously excited. "We don't know much about him, though—he seems to stick mostly to the Ghost Zone."

"Is that so?" Daniel murmured, looking curious. "Wonder why..."

"We're trying to figure that out," Maddie said with a smile. "It's _very_ interesting!"

Daniel smiled faintly and sighed.

"How'd they find us anyway?" he murmured, seemingly puzzled. In reality, he knew _exactly_ how they were found, and he was going to have an..._interesting_...conversation at a later point in time.

"Yeah, that _was_ weird. We're nowhere near any ghost's usual haunts," Danny murmured.

"If that was an intentional pun, it was in very bad taste," Daniel informed the younger teen.

"Pun? What pu—oh."

Jazz snickered softly and Daniel smiled wryly as Danny flushed.

Daniel sighed softly and laid back on the grass. "I can't believe we're almost back at Amity," he murmured. "A lot has happened during this trip."

"_That's_ true," Danny agreed, remaining sitting.

After a brief hesitation, the Fenton adults (Jazz included) sat down next to the two Dannys, everyone taking a moment to relax after what had been a fairly challenging—although significantly less than previous ones on the trip—battle.

Daniel was _very_ upset with his pet, but no-one would have guessed his emotions. The ghost had brought Walker's goons upon them all, and Daniel had every intention of finding out _why_.

It hadn't really mattered, though.

It wasn't _too_ bad of a battle...

_I wonder how they figured out to bind Danny and mine's power that way. Of course, they didn't know _I_ had ghost powers, but still. That was a pain._

The battle really had shown him how strong and dangerous Maddie and Jasmine were, and Daniel felt an acute sense of sympathy about what it must be like to be hunted by someone who actually knows what they're doing.

Daniel smiled faintly. "I want to thank you for taking me along," he told Danny's mother. "I've never experienced anything like this before."

"It's been...interesting to get to know you, Daniel Masters," Maddie said with a smile that left Daniel uneasy. "Now, come on! We have to find a good spot."

–

Daniel opened his eyes, looking up at a sky just beginning to manifest light-wash. He had been testing the limits of his sensing range, and was acutely aware of the headache that was growing behind his eyes.

_How far am I out to now? 2 miles? Not bad for just beginning to work on those skills._

Sitting up slowly, Daniel rubbed his temples to attempt and relieve the dull pain. He sighed softly and pushed himself onto his feet, stretching, his back cracking in interesting ways. Rolling his neck, Daniel forced the tension out of his shoulders.

_Is everyone asleep?_ He wondered. Turning invisible and intangible, Daniel quickly stuck his head into each of the tents. As far as he could tell from breathing rates, everyone was deeply asleep. He hovered in the air and flew a small ways away—far enough that they wouldn't be able to hear him, but close enough that Daniel could make excuses as to his temporary absence.

_Now, for a little chat with my pet._

Daniel reached inside himself and took out the Ring of Rage, focusing on it before letting go so it hovered before him.

"Come out," he commanded. Out of the Ring dripped pure white that slowly formed into the ghost that had sough refuge within him. The Ring faltered in the air once Daniel had drawn out his pet and Daniel caught it before it fell. As he slipped it onto his finger, Daniel smirked faintly at the large, gaudy piece of jewelery. The expression faded quickly, though, his whole posture taking on something more...predatory. Cold. Ruthless.

"Walker," Daniel said calmly, and abject terror appeared in the ghost's eyes. The only time Daniel _ever_ used his former name was when he was very, very pissed.

"Y-yes, Master?"

"I am _very_ upset with you," he told the ghost, walking with slow leisure to the ghost. Reaching out, Daniel gently caressed the ghost's cheek before he slammed Walker's face into a tree, his own countenance completely impassive.

"You were _seen_," Daniel said with soft calm, before kicking the ghost in the ribs, sending it sprawling back. "You were _followed_," he continued, picking up his pet by the jacket before throwing him against a nearby rock. The force of the impact broke the stone and made his pet curl in on itself, bleeding ectoplasm. "How _dare_ you make me need to cover your ass." Never rising beyond a conversational tone, Daniel's voice was nonetheless terrifying in its intensity.

"I'm sorry, Master!" the ghost cried, and Daniel kicked him in the face.

"_Don't_ bother apologizing," Daniel told him. "You failed me and you know full well the price of your failure."

"Y-yes, Master," the ghost sobbed around the ectoplasm flowing freely down its face. "I kn-kn-know."

Daniel smiled with faint gentleness. "Then use this as a reminder, pet. _I_ _don't_ _tolerate failure,"_ he murmured, yanking the ghost to its feet and letting it stumble slightly before finding its balance.

Daniel looked at his pet with dispassionate, cold eyes. "You let—of all ghosts!—_Walker_ see you. You let the _one_ ghost who has power over a substantial amount of underlings _see you_. Do you know how much _effort_ it took to thrown them off your trail?" Daniel told the ghost in a gentle, chiding tone before uppercutting the ghost. Delivering a kick to its stomach, Daniel sent his pet flying backwards, tumbling over itself and leaving bright smears of ectoplasm on the ground.

"_How_ didhe find you? _Why_ did he see you?" Daniel's voice was calm, but the anger lacing through it made Walker flinch and look away. "I've taught you better than you've demonstrated thus far," he said, one foot stomping on his pet's face and digging it into the ground.

"I was...I was looking for your esteemed father," Walker half-sobbed against the dirt. "I thought that m-m-maybe those in my—his—prison would know something."

Daniel paused and said, "So you went in and pretended to be this world's warden?"

The ghost nodded hesitantly, its neck obviously pained.

"How did that work out?" Daniel asked, removing his foot to kick Walker over onto his back.

"The way he runs that place is _pathetic_. I would _never_ have let—"

"_Walker._"

The ghost flinched and curled in on itself. "It went fine...for a while. I didn't know how long he would be out, and I wanted to be as thorough as possible. I went to his office, not bothering to stop anywhere else, and no-one asked questions because I looked like I knew what I was doing and happened to also appear like their Warden. I went into his office and left orders not to be disturbed and to keep anyone—_anyone—_from entering. I went through his files, current inmates, those who had escaped, histories, etc...anything that could possibly lead to clues about your father's presence." The ghost hesitated and instinctively curled in on itself tighter, unconsciously seeking to make itself a smaller target as Daniel knelt next to it.

"Unfortunately, just as I thought I was beginning to find something, _this_ world's Walker came bursting in, obviously angry." The ghost actually looked amused. "He was nothing. Ineffectual. Stupid. Didn't know what to do when faced with me. I reacted as I would normally if someone came bursting into my office. I stood up and snapped at him 'What do you think you're _doing_?' All the ghosts present, he included, flinched. 'Who _are_ you and what do you think you're doing looking like me?' I demanded, crossing my arms and glaring at them all. 'Take him away. He's obviously dangerous. Maximum security.' My voice left little room for argument, and they actually _were_ going to listen to me when that Walker caught a glimpse of my collar."

Daniel drummed his fingers against his thigh and raised an eyebrow. "While I love the fact that you're comfortable letting others know that you _belong to_ _me_, you should be more careful when trying to infiltrate enemy territory. I had _thought_ you learned that particular lesson."

The ghost swallowed hard and cringed away, only to find it bumping up against the leg of a clone of Daniel.

"What happened next?" Daniel's clone inquired with soft deadliness.

"Walker threw my accusation back in my face: 'No! _You're_ the impostor! Look at him," he demanded. '_I_ don't wear _nothing_ like that,' he said strongly, gesturing to my collar. I shook my head and gave him a pitying glance. 'He's clearly delusional. Take him away,' I said and sat back down at the desk, giving them a casual dismissal as I went back to my work. The guards were torn. Who were they supposed to listen to? 'You know, it's against the rules to ignore me,' I told them calmly as I continued to shuffle through the paperwork on his desk." Walker fell silent and a rueful smile formed on its face. "It was actually because of my fighting and management skills that they realized I wasn't _their_ Walker."

"This Walker _is _practically ineffectual," Daniel drawled. "Continue."

"I heard something happening in the distance, and shortly enough another guard came floating towards us, obviously in a panic. The look on his face when he saw two of us was highly amusing. 'S-sir! Jailbreak!' I sighed inwardly, but I demanded, 'Where, who, and how?' The guard rattled off the specifics and I thought for a moment before issuing orders that were quickly obeyed. My voice and demeanor left no room for argument, and the ghosts _like_ to be ordered around—at least, most of them. Definitely the ones in my employ. Bullet stared at me as I sat behind the desk, eyes flickering between me and Walker. 'Shouldn't you be helping them?' I asked my former second-in-command coolly." Walker paused and looked baffled as he struggled his way into a sitting position. "He attacked me, then. I reacted like you taught me—he didn't stand a chance. Unfortunately, this seemed to solidify the suspicion that I wasn't exactly who I appeared to be."

"This Walker can't fight physically for the life of him. I see where that would be a problem," Daniel murmured, standing. "Why did they follow you, though? You should have been able to escape without being seen or heard."

"I tried, Master, I _truly_ did...but this world's Bullet makes up for Walker. Smart. Resourceful. He wouldn't still be around if I were the one running _this_ prison. He, or perhaps one of his goons, got lucky enough that one of their blasts blindsided me."

"You. Were hurt. By a _peon_?"

If possible, any color the ghost may have had bleached away at the tone of Daniel's voice.

"I-I..."

Daniel's foot connected with Walker's chin, snapping the ghost's head back. As the ghost fell back down, Daniel's foot planted itself on Walker's chest, sullying the pure white with dirt. "And because of this lucky shot, you were able to be tracked. You couldn't just, oh, I don't know, _phase it off?_"

"I tried, Master! I really did. It...I believe they were using the grade weapon that we use on only the worst offenders, the kind that mimic your Mark."

Daniel removed his foot and regarded the prone ghost dispassionately. "So, they've developed something similar...no matter. It is gone now," Daniel murmured with satisfaction as he watched his pet struggle to its feet. "So, tell me. Was my saving you a complete waste of effort or did you actually find something on my father?"

The ghost looked away as he readjusted his jacket, muttering something, and Daniel's eyes widened before narrowing into dangerous slits.

The ghost cringed away from Daniel as he stepped in close "Are you telling me that, because you were found out, you were unable to conclusively determine whether or not my father managed the transition? So you have failed me not once, but _twice?"_

"Forgive me, Master!" the ghost begged.

Daniel simply chuckled and delivered a punishing blow to the ghost's gut, making it curl inwards and whimper in pain. "Forgiveness? You ask _me_ for forgiveness? Foolishness!" Daniel sneered and slammed it back to the ground, grinding its face into the dirt. "But do not worry, pet. I will not destroy you," Daniel murmured as he removed the pressure and flipped the ghost over. "No, oblivion is too good for you. It is no punishment at all, more a _reward_. You will remain bound to me," Daniel murmured as he picked his pet up by his neck, fingers digging into the tender area just above the collar as the ghost hung limply in Daniel's grasp. A small transfer of energy between Daniel and the piece of jewelery resulted in the ghost stiffening and voicing a whimper. Daniel smirked, admiring his handiwork.

"Daniel?"

_What is _Danny_ doing here? I was sure that no-one would come looking for me,_ Daniel wondered and turned to face the younger half-ghost. "Yes?" he asked and dropped his pet, letting the ghost crumple to the ground.

"Is that...is that _Walker_?"

Daniel laughed and shook his head. "Oh _god_ no, this creature isn't Walker," Daniel said flippantly.

"Then who is it?"

Daniel paused, then smiled. His smile was apparently something that terrified Danny, making the younger half-ghost step back involuntarily. "He's my pet," Daniel replied in a soft purr. "He _belongs_ to me. His existence is dependent upon my whim. He is _my_ servant, my _slave_. He is _mine_ in every way that counts. Aren't you, pet?" he asked lovingly, a sneer on his face as he regarded the ghost slowly struggling into a sitting position.

"Yes, Master," the ghost replied with meekness, making Daniel chuckle softly as he gave Danny a smirk.

"There, you see?"

"What did you _do_ to him?" Danny asked in a horrified whisper.

Daniel's smirk was pure malignance as he pulled the ghost to its feet. He then pushed aside the cloth of Walker's suit to reveal the plain metal band that encircled the ghost's neck. "Bound him to me," he murmured, and tapped the metal lightly, making the ghost flinch.

The revulsion Daniel expected crossed Danny's face. "Is..._this_...one of the crimes you were put on trial for?"

"Mm..._maybe_," Daniel drawled, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"_Nothing_ excuses this! I don't know you! This isn't you, Daniel!"

"_Of course_ it's me," Daniel drawled. "I'm _evil_. Sick. Wrong. Unforgivable," Daniel spat.

"Explain."

"What is there to explain? I will not make excuses for my behavior, for _what I am_," he finished with slight bitterness. "A monster." Daniel paused. "Leave, pet. Return to my apartment, and speak _not a word_ of this to _anyone_," he said with a dire warning in his voice.

Danny watched as Walker vanished before turning back to Daniel, whose eyes were impassive and coldly distant.

"I wish I'd never met you!" Danny said heatedly to Daniel's aloof demeanor.

Daniel paused, no emotion crossing his face before he asked, "Do you mean that?"

"What?"

"Do you really wish you hadn't met me?" Daniel asked softly.

Danny looked thrown off by the question.

"If you and I hadn't met, you probably wouldn't have done as well in school or otherwise. You wouldn't have known how to duplicate yourself. You wouldn't have survived the escalating battles you have had since ghosts from my time began crossing into this one. In enumerable little ways, I am responsible for who _you_ are now. Do you regret having your eyes opened to possibilities—to _realities—_that you might never have known unless you and I met?"

Danny's mouth moved and he scowled. "This isn't about me!"  
"Yes, Danny, it is," Daniel answered calmly. "It's about _you_ because it's about _me._ You and I are two sides of the same coin. The reason you are so _repulsed_ by me is that you see shadows of yourself in me."

"That's not true! I'm not like you!"

"You're absolutely correct. You're _not_ like me. This doesn't mean that you don't see yourself in me. You see how, if you actually listened to your darker impulses, if you underwent the same psychological and physical torments I have, how _you_ could, in theory, have become _me._ I am a darker version of you while still treading the line between the full night of _Phantom_ and the bright day _you_ can be. _I..._am the _twilight_."

"You could have chosen otherwise. No-one _forced_ you to become who you are, do what you did."

"Correct. Every choice I made was my own. My damnation is my own fault and I am too far gone to be redeemed."

"I...that's not true!" Danny protested weakly, obviously shaken. "No-one is beyond help."

"_I am_," Daniel replied vehemently. "You know what I've done!" Daniel hissed heatedly, "you saw what I've created. Look at _me_," Daniel snapped. "Everything that I have built my Self on and around were snatched away from me. Everything that I love is taken away from me. I'm a disease, a _curse_, a blight upon life. I grow sick of the hand I've been dealt, so I discard the old one hand for a new one. But every time—_every_ fucking _time!—_the new hand is even worse than the previous!" Daniel's voice was soft, but suffused with pained passion.

"I tried to stick to the straight and narrow, I really did. But, had I continued down that path, I would have either been dead or in a mental institution somewhere, rotting from the inside." Pain flickered across his face. "Do you think I _wanted_ to become this...this..._abomination?_" Daniel murmured, self-loathing thick in his voice. "I _allowed_ my Self to become twisted, deformed, because inside of me there was still this absurd desire to continue this pathetic excuse for an existence. I just _knew_ that death would bring me no respite, so living was the only option left to me."

He paused. "You know, there are times I envy you so much that I nearly _hate_ you, Danny. Why were _you_ spared? What makes _you_ special? What did I do to deserve the hell that was—_is—_my every waking moment? Why was it _me_ who was the butt of some fucking cosmic joke? _Nothing validates my suffering!_" Daniel's voice was full of conflicting emotions, his carefully cultivated masks shattered. "What was all this, a test? A chance for me to become a better person? Where is the worth in that? Why do _I_ have _nothing_ while _you_ have _everything?"_ Daniel demanded. "Family, love, warmth, _sanity_..." Daniel's voice hitched, his hands curling into fists. "I do what I do, am what I am because if I wasn't...I wouldn't survive." Daniel's voice died and his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"To survive I needed to be strong, to be strong I needed power. To obtain power I could no longer exist as a moral agent of 'good'," he said in a whisper. "I could afford Danny Phantom no longer." Daniel looked over to Danny, exhaustion dragging at him. "Now, I ask again—do you really wish that you had never met me?"

Danny looked angry, but indecisive. "What you went through is not my fault!"

"I'm not blaming you," Daniel said.

"Funny, sounded like it."

"There's a difference between _blaming_ someone and _envying_ them. You are not the root of my misfortune—past or present. I do not blame you for being lucky or for my life." Daniel smiled sadly. "Think about it. Everything happens for a reason—each meeting and parting has a point to it. Take your time. Tolerate my presence for the little while longer that we are on this trip together."

Daniel began to walk back to the campfire when Danny whirled about, trying to punch him. Instinctively stepping back, Daniel blinked, the only indicator of his confusion and surprise.

"Do you think you're the only person who has ever suffered?" Danny demanded.

Daniel scoffed. "Hell no. You've woken me more than once this trip with your nightmares about your evil self. I've seen Mark's worries—how long will _this_ business last? Will it be stable in the long run? Profitable? Will he and his wife be able to live as they want? Will their combined income pay the bills? Keep their kids healthy? Give them a good education? I listen to the stories of my neighbors in the apartment complex—barely enough to pay the rent, let alone feed and clothe them. I see debilitating addictions, illnesses. I see more than people give me credit for. I know I am not alone in my suffering, and that it is a conscious choice whether or not to play the victim. I do not, as you do not."

"Still, _why_?"

Daniel looked at Danny, who was obviously torn, and said nothing.

"Why did you decide to become evil? Why did you give up, give in? You're stronger than that, I _know_ you are," Danny almost pleaded.

"Why do you remain good? Why _don't_ you give up, give in? It would make your life _so_ much easier. Why help people who don't want your help? If only you gave up the moral high-ground, your strength could increase ten-fold," Daniel replied.

"I will not sacrifice my beliefs just for power!"

"Why not?"

Danny blinked, taken aback. "You can't be serious."

"I'm entirely serious," Daniel murmured, expression completely unreadable.

"I...I just _can't_. It would go against what I am, what I stand for. Abandoning my morals would mean—"

"Abandoning your Self. I know. That isn't reason enough. I fell. What is keeping you from following me?"

Danny was caught speechless, and Daniel gave him a wry smile. "Ponder that. What keeps you above water? What has kept you whole, sane, and a moral agent for 'good'? _What has kept you from becoming me_?"

Danny's mouth moved, but no sound came out. His thoughts were quite evident on his face, though. 'What does he mean by _that_?' was the primary one that Daniel could read.

Danny was silent for a long time before a wry, self-derogatory smile formed on his face. "I can answer that question for you, actually."

Danny looked as if he didn't believe him. "Oh?"

Daniel nodded. "Family. Friends. Relationships. _That_ is what has kept you afloat. You have people who _love_ you, _like_ you _for who you are_." Daniel's smile was cold. "Humans are inherently social creatures. Devoid of contact and love, they wither and twist, morphing into shattered shadows of what they could really be." He chuckled, but there was no humor in the sound. "Like me. Vlad isn't exactly the model parent, you know, and as for friends..." Daniel shook his head. "No support or comfort there."

"You told me about Sarah—"

"She was a phase. A temporary ray of light in my dark existence. She showed me _exactly_ what I was lacking...and her death hurt me perhaps more than anything else had before."

"Then why didn't you reach for that light?"

"Because I was _too far gone._ And, perversely," Daniel said, his face twisting into a mockery of a smile, "I enjoy it...the freedom that amorality brings." Daniel sighed. "Being evil is much easier than being good, and I have the bad tendency towards taking the path of least resistance."

Silence fell for a long moment before Danny took a deep breath and said in a growl: "You're a manipulative dick."

"Astute, but nothing I haven't heard before. Your point?"

"Anything else that you're hiding from me?"

"That will piss you off? I've stolen to support myself, lied to further my own ends, hacked into government systems to make myself a SSN and some semblance of a past. I've messed with people's minds and emotions—to make a point, to get something I want, or simply for my own amusement. In my own time, I've completely dominated the ghost zone—not to mention a few ghosts—and I've smooth-talked my way into and out of some situations while fighting my way into and out of others...shall I continue? Do you want _examples_?"

Danny glowered at the older teen, who merely gave him a cocky smirk.

"There's no _reason_ for you to do all those things!"

"Do I _need_ a reason?"

"Have you ever gotten caught?"

"For what? My games?"

"Games?! This is _people_ we're talking about! Messing with them isn't some kind of twisted _game_!"

"All of life is a game," Daniel replied. "It's one giant game of strategy and ruthlessness. It's like you take chess and up the ante to the level of interpersonal relationships."

"People aren't game pieces to be moved around as you please!"

"How can you be sure?"

"God, Daniel, stop it!" Danny half-cried, frustration lacing his voice. "Are you _ever_ honest? Have you been saying that you always tell me the truth just to get me to trust you? Was our friendship _real_ or just something you've made up?!"

Daniel smiled coldly. "You tell me."

Danny snarled. "You _bastard!"_

Daniel chuckled darkly. "What are you going to do about it, _hm_? So what if I _was_ playing you? Does it matter? What _reason_ would I have to screw with you? You _are_ a younger me, and I _do_ envy you for your innocence."

A malignant, mocking smirk crossed Daniel's face. "Anyway, it's not like fooling _you_ would be a challenge. You take after _Jack_ that way sometimes, you know. I have nothing to gain from pulling the wool over your eyes—and everything to gain by keeping you aware. If I _have_ manipulated you, it's always been to your own good."

Daniel crossed his arms leisurely, "Afterall, my..._machinations_...taught you how to clone yourself, got you through the second part of this school year, have opened your eyes to the depth that people can fall...again, do you regret these things? Do you regret that you have _grown?_ Matured? You would have been exposed to these realities eventually. I merely presented them in a more palatable form. The younger you are, the more easily can you can adapt to these clashes of morality. You're more he more flexible and pliable, less prone to breaking. You should be _thanking_ me, not yelling at me," Daniel finished in a sneer.

Snarling back, Danny lunged at Daniel. Moving with Danny's attack, Daniel deflected the younger half-ghost with practiced ease. Each time Danny attacked, Daniel always moved with him, never having damage dealt to him and never reposing, either. He taunted Danny at moments, chipped away at Danny's self-control and temper in an attempt to provoke the younger into making easily-absorbed ghost attacks as well as physical attacks. It was only when Danny was absolutely spent and out of physical and emotional energy that Daniel finally retaliated, pinning the younger half-ghost to the ground.

A long, heavy silence descended, filled only with Danny's harsh, panting breaths.

"You're a dick," Danny growled, making Daniel smile faintly.

"Tell me something I don't know. Do you yield?"

"Get off me."

Daniel released the younger half-ghost warily. He turned intangible, just in case the freed half-ghost tried any other aggressive maneuvers.

"Paranoid."

"Prudent—there is a difference."

"Why did you let me try to beat you up?"  
"Because it's therapeutic. You see that I'm while I can be a heartless asshole, I do understand the possible consequences. It also worked out all your frustrations against me. So, now, while you might not like me, you can at least _deal_ with me." Daniel looked up at the sky before speaking again: "It's getting late. You should try and get some sleep."

"It'll be easy—I'm _exhausted_. You didn't really mean those insults, did you?"

"Anything to keep you angry and working through your issues with me."

Danny snorted. "You're weird."

"Again, tell me something I haven't heard before. I'll be out here," he said, sensing the unease in Danny. "You don't have to sleep next to me—I know I've broken your belief in me, betrayed your trust."

Danny paused, then sighed. "It's supposed to rain—that's what the radio said, at least. While you might _be_ cold, there's no reason for you to catch one. We're gonna be dealing with this for a _long time_, though." Danny hesitated. "_Were_ you truthful with me? _Were_ we really friends?"

Daniel smiled sadly. "Yes, I like to think we were. I always _did_ tell you the truth, at least as I perceived it. And...well, you were close to being my first _real_ friend in far, far too long. But I guess you meeting my pet has put us back a few spaces, hasn't it?"

"A little," Danny drawled, making Daniel smirk faintly.

"Shall we go back to camp?" Daniel proposed.

Danny smiled wearily and nodded.

As the two walked back to the camp, Daniel's thoughts were whirling in his head. He hadn't thought finally revealing the degree of his own cruelty would hurt him this much.

_Damnit, Daniel. You have _two_ weaknesses now. You seriously must learn to distance yourself._

He sighed inwardly, and found himself supporting a Danny who was falling asleep on his own feet. He smiled softly and picked up Danny—to the younger half-ghost's protests—and walked the rest of the way carrying him.

_Alone again. You think I'd be used to this by now._ Daniel thought, looking at the sleeping teen cradled in his arms. _But I'll be okay. I've survived before, and I'll survive now. You'll be okay, Daniel._

The words sounded hollow, but he forced himself to believe them as he arrived back at camp.


	25. All Good Things

**author**: Um, derp.

**Disclaimer**: lawl

Chapter 24

Jazz cornered Daniel when they were taking a bathroom break and to stretch their legs, and Daniel quirked an eyebrow at the foreboding look on her face.

He caught her hand in his before she could slap him, and regarded her angry scowl with impassivity. "Can I help you, Jasmine?" he asked calmly.

"What did you do to Danny?" she hissed at him.

"Do to him? I didn't _do_ anything."

"I know emotional trauma when I see it," Jazz snapped.

"You would, being a psychologist-in-training, wouldn't you?" Daniel murmured.

"Don't play with me," she half-snarled, and Daniel give her a subtly impressed look.

"You're quite protective of him. I imagine I'll be getting this from one or both of your parents, too," he said with a soft sigh, and let go of Jazz's hand to dodge the next strike. "If you really want to know what happened, _ask him_."

"He won't tell me anything!"

"Then let him deal with it."

"But it's eating him up inside!" Jazz half-cried, despair tinging her voice.

"Adversity builds strength of character," Daniel said.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"He'd have to face a situation like he is at some point in his life," Daniel said with a dismissively shrug. "I'm giving him the opportunity to deal with it while also having some time to think it over. This way he'll be prepared and _understand_ exactly who he is and what he stands for."

"Phantom—"

"Is his evil self represented an extreme," Daniel said. "He can discount it, promise himself he'd never descend to those depths. What he's facing right now is something much more subtle and insidious, something that he _must_ face at some point. I'd rather it be now, when he has support like you, than in the midst of a battle when his mind and body are weakened."

"Daniel, _just tell me,_" Jazz half-pleaded. "I can't help him if I don't know what he's going through!"

"Perhaps you're not meant to help him in the way you think," Daniel murmured.

"What?"

"Think about it. Sometimes, the most comfort isn't verbal," he said and walked back towards the car, aware that he left a baffled and pissed-off Jazz behind.

_Danny _must_ face this. Must face the reality that is _me_. Once he recognizes what exactly he wants to be...he'll be all the stronger for it. He must _never_ doubt who he is, lose the conviction of his Self-image. That will be his strength. Knowing who you are...gives you a huge advantage._

A bitter smile flickered across his face as he sat down in the RV. _I know who I am. Who I was. And, really, I have created _this _Self. In some twisted way, I _wanted_ to become this person. Ha...I hope Danny picks a more ethical path than I have._

_(Sick.)_

"Daniel."

Daniel blinked slowly and looked at Danny, raising an eyebrow delicately as he sat next to the teen, an obvious space between them. "Yes?"

"You're wrong."

"About what?"  
"Everything, almost."

"Enlighten me."

"Power isn't everything, for starters."

Daniel shook his head, but said nothing. Danny apparently hadn't noticed the gesture, as he continued without pause:

"People are better than you think they are," the younger half-ghost stated. "They're not..._playthings_...to be messed with and left whenever you want to. Most of them are good people."

"I fall into that minority of 'not good people', don't I?" Daniel drawled.

(_Evil. Despicable.)_

Danny gave him a glare, but there was a bit of sadness to it. "I...I'm not sure about you. It's just...you seem to live to a double standard that I can't _begin_ to understand. And I'm not certainthatf you _like_ the double-standard you've set for yourself. It seems like you should be tired all the time from the energy you put into it."

Daniel smiled faintly and shrugged.

"That's just around _people_, though. It seems as if you're a...a...completely different person around ghosts. Someone I'm not sure I like."

Daniel paused then shok his head slowly. "We all wear our masks."

"I suppose." Danny paused and _looked_ at Daniel. "The real question is: Do you _like_ being that way?"

Daniel gave the query serious consideration. A wry smile slowly formed on his face. "In a way, yes. And, in a way, no. The sheer _power_ I have is...intoxicating." Daniel breathed the last word with such _longing_ and pleasure that Danny shifted nervously.

"But," Daniel continued, "I don't _like_ having to behave as I do to achieve and secure that power. However, in the Ghost Zone, might is right. The more powerful—physically, socially, whatever-ly—you are, the more influence you have. In my home timeline, I was _master of the Ghost Zone._ I defeated Pariah Dark—killed him, actually—and so proved without a doubt that _I_ was the strongest."

Danny's jaw dropped. "You _killed_ Pariah Dark?" he asked with a note of awe in his voice. "I know you said you defeated him, but..."

Daniel nodded. "That's what left me bedridden for a week. That battle...was _not_ easy. But, I desired the Ring, and I've never let anyone—ghost or human—stand in the way of something I desire." Daniel paused, then sighed. "Save Vlad. Vlad always tends to get _me_ to do what _he_ wants, the asshole."

Danny cracked the smallest of smiles, but it faded quickly. "Which is the _real_ you?"

Daniel hesitated before replying: "I'm a bit of everything. It's impossible to separate one facet from the other. I behave as the situation dictates—I don't allow myself to become static. I keep myself in a constant state of flux so that no-one can _truly_ pin a personality on me."

"Why?"

"If I'm not static, people—ghosts, too—will never quite know what to expect, and because of that, I have an edge over them. Most people like to stick to one way of doing things, of _being_. I don't. Deliberately."

Danny sighed gustily. "Power, again?"

"Of course."

"Does your desire for power come from Vlad?"

Daniel paused, then slowly shook his head. "In a manner. It's to fill a void."

"Of what?"

"Family. Friends. Love. Much like him, I seek to distract myself from the fact that I lack something fundamental to all human relationships by maneuvering myself into a position of power. It's slight consolation."

"You know, if you'd just let people in—"

Daniel shook his head slowly, quieting Danny. "I can't."

"Why?"

"Danny, you know why."

"Look, there has to be more than just me out there who will accept that."

Daniel sighed and rubbed his neck to attempt to relieve the omnipresent pain. "I've gotten _very_ good at reading people. The more time I spend around a person, the more insight I get into their personality and psyche—part of why I make such a good manipulative bastard. Out of everyone that I've spent time with, _you_ are the only person who I knew would accept that particular facet of my life."

"Perhaps you read people wrong?"

"Maybe when I first started playing head games. But certainly not now."

Danny hesitated, then sighed gustily, his shoulders slumping. "You are a _very_ strange person."

Daniel smirked. "I know." There was a brief pause before Daniel spoke again: "You have accepted every other part of me—what is making _this_ so hard for you?"

"Because it goes against everything I stand for!"

"Good! That is _exactly_ what I wanted to hear."

"What?" Danny asked, absolutely baffled.

Daniel smiled softly. "You know who you are_."_

"I don't understand."

"That's alright. You don't have to," Daniel said with a casual shrug. "Not yet, at least."

Danny gave him an utterly skeptical, disbelieving look that made Daniel chuckle.

"Look, you've decided who you want to be when faced with a grey area. You saw the absolute darkness you could become in Phantom. Now you've seen the twilight you could descend into, should you slip up, and you've decided that you will stick to the path you tread now. It will not be an easy one, but I think you're strong enough to take it."

Danny looked confused before he slowly asked, "What were you talking to Walker about anyway?"

"My pet? Well...I think that my world has been completely absorbed here, and I wanted to know if my father had survived the transition. Unfortunately, the thing that brought Walker and his goons upon us was the fact that they saw my pet. And since my pet and Walker bear striking resemblances, they wanted to know what was up. My pet seeks me for—what?"

"You call him your_ pet?"_

"Well, he _is_. He isn't _Walker_ anymore, that's for sure."

"How did you _do_ that to a ghost? No, better question—_why?"_

"My father has asked me the 'how' question a lot," Daniel murmured and crossed his arms. "It was a long, complicated, and, frankly, _fulfilling _process." Daniel paused. "I needed something to focus on, and that focus fell on ghosts, among a few other things. The Box Ghost and the vultures didn't last all that long, they were simply too weak, so I had to search for something stronger. Something that would demonstrate _my_ strength as well as surviving long enough for me to explore ghostly composition and abilities." Daniel raised an eyebrow at the horrified look Danny was giving him. "You know I'm not a nice person—you've seen that for yourself first-hand, afterall. Do you want me to continue or not?"

Danny swallowed and nodded, "Yeah"

Daniel smiled slightly, "You're learning. Anyway. Walker was fairly respected and feared, had a strong constitution as far as I knew, had substantial resources, and would provide a challenge. I figured he would be the best. Johnny 13 was too weak, the Fright Knight and Pariah Dark weren't in the cards at that point in time, Skulker wouldn't survive in his real form, Vortex, Aragorn, and Hotep-Ra were all loners, I don't hurt female ghosts unless I absolutely _have_ to...so, Walker it was. His security was easy to breach. I started off small with him, brought down his reputation while building up my own. In a sense, I broke his morale before the ghost himself. I sought him out, fought him, and left little scars—mental and physical—as tangible reminders of each defeat at my hands. As time passed, each defeat left more scars, each more damaging and debilitating than the last."

Daniel paused and the smallest of smirks form on his face. "Then, I got the Ring. Although I couldn't activate the majority of its power, I _did_ learn how to use it as a channel for what power I _do_ have naturally."

"It was then that I learned how to bind the ghost to myself. Initially, he resisted it, but my will is stronger than his. Eventually, he began to bow to my wishes, to fulfill my orders. When he did things correctly, to the letter of the law, if I might say, the positive affirmation was all he could have hoped for and more. When he misbehaved...well. The punishments made him think twice about what he should and should not do. I worked on his mind and morale carefully, slowly, methodically, until he found himself bound to me willingly, for the most part. I gave him purpose, drive, direction—things that everyone, ghost or human, craves."

Daniel shook his head slightly. "I'm good at twisting people, ghosts, _anyone,_ to my wishes in so subtle a manner that they do what I want without them ever realizing it. Don't worry—I've never used my tactics against you or your family or friends: y_ou_ because you matter to me, and your friends and family because they matter to _you_." He shrugged. "It all works out."

Danny was staring at him by this time. "Wow...that's...I think I understand why Jazz says you're dangerous."

"Oh, did she?" Daniel murmured with a small smirk. "I'm flattered, to say the least."

"You _want_ to be recognized as dangerous?"

"Of course," Daniel replied smoothly. "Reputation matters."

Danny glowered at the titanium floor in frustration and Daniel chuckled. "Look, have I _ever_ forced my ideals on you? Have I _ever_ tried to change you?"

Danny opened his mouth, closed it, and thought for a moment. "No. We had the argument about power...but you never pushed it on me—you've said that it's reality, but not that I should go after it. If anything...you've _supported_ how I think." Danny finished the sentence sounding quite confused. "Why?"

"Why not? I don't seek to change anyone. I truly believe in the 'to each their own' thing. Also..." Daniel paused and chuckled weakly, "there are times I wish I was you. Not situationally—I've accepted that—but personality-wise."

"What? Really?"

Daniel nodded slightly. "I watch you, how you react, and can't help but find myself wistfully wondering if I could ever be as _nice,_ as _ethical_ as you are. I've come to terms with who I am and don't _mind_ living with me, but I see you...and can't help but ponder the possibilities."

Danny blinked, then smiled wryly. "You know, every time I think I've just about got you figured out, you throw a wrench into it."

Daniel smiled cheerfully. "It's a skill." Silence fell and Daniel tilted his head slightly. "We'll continue this conversation at a later point in time," Daniel said as Jazz approached them.

"You guys ready to go?" Jazz asked as she stepped in, giving Daniel an unreadable look.

"Yup."

"Daniel, could you sit up here with me?" Maddie asked, gently moving her husband into the middle seat.

_Uh-oh,_ Daniel thought uneasily.

"Of course," he answered smoothly, seemingly unperturbed as he navigated his way to the front seat. He was intrigued by the control panel before him and immediately began examining all the buttons before him, letting his hands skim over them without actually pressing them, wondering what each button did—if it had a function at all. If Daniel remembered correctly, there were some buttons in the RV that existed just because they looked pretty where they were.

"Fascinating," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.

"You seem to know what you're looking at," Maddie commented coolly.

Daniel gave her a cautious look, unable to read her because of the goggles that covered her eyes.

_FUCK. I'll hardly be able to get a good read on her. She's good at controlling her voice, and people's eyes give away what they're thinking more than anything else. I'll have to go off of her posture...which will be difficult, but a good exercise._

"I work in an arcade, so I've developed an interest in machines in general. I've never seen one with so many _buttons_, though. I'm afraid to touch them for fear that it might start the self-destruct sequence or something," he said in a pleasant conversational tone.

There was a brief silence before Maddie spoke again: "I'm going to cut to the chase—who _are_ you?"

"Daniel Masters, ma'am," Daniel answered.

"There's more to you than just a name."

"Of course. We are the sum of our experiences," Daniel replied cautiously. _Where is she leading this?_

"And what are your experiences?"

Daniel sighed softly and looked out the window. "Many."

Maddie paused, then sighed faintly. "The world is a very strange place, you know. Ghosts were never taken truly seriously until the ghost boy showed up. He's captured the imagination of the public, even though he's a malignant entity."

Daniel winced inwardly, but looked intrigued outwardly. "I don't know about that..."

"It must be your generation," she said with a small smile.

Daniel merely shrugged.

"Of course, with the introduction of the paranormal and the confirmation of many of my theories, it makes one wonder about other possibilities. Of course, I don't have the _time_ to pursue all of my interests, but it appears that one of the ones I've been wanting to follow has found its way into my life."

_Uh oh_, Daniel thought, his heartbeat speeding up. He controlled his voice very well, though, instead saying, "Oh? What's that?"

"Time travel."

_SHIT. This is _not_ good._ "Well, I mean, based on special relativity, time travel into the _future_ is possible with you remaining more or less the same age—it's simply due to the speed of light," he commented lightly. "Unfortunately, science has been unable to move really massive things up to the speed needed for relativistic effects to take place, simply because the faster it moves, the heavier it gets, and the more energy it takes to move it."

Maddie smiled slightly. "You know your physics."

Daniel shrugged and gave her a half-smile, "A little. I had a good teacher." Daniel paused. "But as of right now, we haven't figure out time-travel into the past." Daniel shook his head.

"As of the present, you mean."

"Yes," Daniel agreed cautiously.

"But you think it's available in the future?"

"I wouldn't know," Daniel said with a shrug. "I can imagine that the production of any time machine would be far too expensive to be feasible."

"Even if one is very rich?"

"Money buys many things, but it has yet to buy time."

Maddie made a thoughtful noise before a brief silence fell between them. "You talk to my son a lot—what was your most recent topic?"

"Morals and ethics."

Maddie raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Really?"

"We...disagree on a few things, but we've reconciled things to the extent of 'to each his own'."

"What do _you_ believe in, Daniel?"

"Power."

"What?"

Daniel cocked his head to the side and looked at Danny's mother. "Is it that hard to understand?" he asked, curious.

"There are many kinds of power," Maddie answered after a moment.

"This is true," Daniel agreed. "It is on that Danny and I disagree."

"What does Danny say?"

"Ask him yourself, ma'am," Daniel said with a small smile. "His opinion is an interesting one."

"Interesting good, interesting bad?"

"Interesting good."

There was a short pause, after which Maddie spoke: "Danny...doesn't seem to trust or love me anymore."

"Mrs. Fenton, that's a lie," Daniel murmured softly. "Daniel loves you to the heavens...it's just that he's got a lot going on in his life. Schoolwork, relationships, teenage drama..." Daniel shrugged. "He's a busy young man."

"He rarely spends any time at home recently..."

Daniel simply shrugged. "He's merely asserting his independence. It's painful, I imagine, for someone who loves him as deeply as you do, but you must realize that it has nothing to _really_ do with you..."

Actually, it had everything to do with her and Danny's drive for self-preservation, but that was unimportant and irrelevant to the conversation.

"You really think so?"

"Ma'am, I'm his age, fairly close to him...I know him better than you, in some ways." _In a _lot_ of ways._ "Afterall, the different sex-chromosome and age are important factors in how well two people understand each other. You must face that Danny, for good or for ill, is growing up."

She gave him a shaky smile before sighing. "Tell me, Daniel—why do you believe in power?"

"Because it's the only certainty in life, aside from death and taxes, of course."

One of Maddie's eyebrows raised delicately and Daniel chuckled.

"Power, in a way, mimicks life," Daniel continued. "It has its ups and down, leaves you feeling like you're on the top of the world before everything comes crashing down around you. Life and death are Powers in their own right. Our lives run off electric _power_. People believe in the _power_ of love, God, etc. Power is what universally connects everything and everyone—immensely desired and desireable but oh, so fickle_."_

Daniel smiled faintly. "I also _know_ power. I don't know for certain about the validity and reality of anything else, so I stick to what I know_—_it keeps me grounded."

"I see."

A brief pause fell in the cabin before Maddie continued, "I bet you've heard this before, but you're a very complex and confusing person."

"I get that nearly every day," Daniel replied with a small smile "May I ask you why _you_ find me perplexing?"

"Because your actions and words don't always match up."

"Very few people's do."

"Then you are worse than most."

Daniel chuckled softly. "An example?"

"You're a better fighter than you say you are."

"Oh?" Daniel asked, all innocence. "You know that I've trained in the martial arts."

"I mean against ghosts."

"Well, of course i'd pick up a few things on this trip."

Maddie sighed gustily. "You're good at this."

"At what, ma'am?"

"Avoiding answering questions."

Daniel looked hurt. "I'm not!"

"You're also a convincing liar."

Daniel looked absolutely crestfallen. "Why do you think so poorly of me?"

Maddie gave an exasperated sigh and shook her head. "It's not that..." With one hand, she pulled down her goggles, letting them rest around her neck and pulled down her hood, eyes still focused primarily on the road as she maneuvered the large vehicle around traffic. "I just want to know whether or not you are some kind of alternate version of my son."

Daniel allowed no emotion to cross his face and he blinked slowly. "What?"

"It was a fairly direct question—are you or are you not an alternate version of my son?"

"What brings you to ask that question?"

"You're avoiding the question," Maddie told him rather sternly, making him inwardly wince.

"Why do you want an answer? It's not like I've done anything to hurt your family."

"You hurt Danny."

"Did not! I made him _think_, but I didn't hurt him."

"Most wounds aren't physical."

Daniel sighed heavily and scratched his head. _Don't I know it._

"I don't let people hurt my family, most of all my children," Maddie said firmly.

"Would you believe me if I told you that I'm helping Danny mature?"

"How is hurting him emotionally helping him mature?"

"I'm exposing him to different modes of thinking and letting him decide how _he_ wants to live."

"Isn't that a little intense for a 16-year-old?"

"The world is an intense, hostile, uncaring place. It's best if he learns things in a controlled environment where he can recover easily than when he's even more vulnerable."

"You speak as if Danny's life is full of danger!"

"Of course it isn't—but no-one is left unscathed as they travel through life. I want to give him a head start so that some of the things that I encountered along the way will not be unexpected."

"You sound like you've seen much more than your 19 years."

"Being the adoptive son of a billionaire does that to you."

"I would have thought you would have led a sheltered life."

"_Adopted_. I lived with a fairly normal family before I moved in with him. Solid middle-class. Although, I sincerely believe that my life then was far better than how my life was with my adoptive father."

"That's odd. Most people _dream_ of being rich."

Daniel snorted derisively. "They can take it. I mean, I'm sure there are nice, well-meaning, philanthropic people among the upper-crust, but they're the exception to the rule. In my time since I've lived with him, I've met _one_ decent person. The sense of entitlement is overwhelming. Sometimes I want to—nevermind. Any way I look at it, my life got worse after I moved. Then again, it also was caused in part by the circumstances of my adoption..."

"Your family died, right?"

"Yes..." Daniel said in a slightly pained whisper.

"How?"

"It sounds silly."

"Death is never silly."

Daniel gave her a half-smile. "True."

"How did they die?"

"The local fast-food restaurant exploded and they were caught in the blast."

"How does a fast-food joint _explode?"_ Maddie asked, sounding incredibly incredulous.

"Apparently one of the sauces was explosive when subjected to high temperatures."

Maddie frowned. "That's irresponsible and unsafe."

Daniel shrugged and said, "It's fast-food," as if that one statement would explain everything.

Maddie cracked the smallest of smiles, making Daniel hope—very, very slightly—that he might get out of this without having to give a definitive answer as to his relation to Danny.

"You said you met Danny by helping him against a ghost."

"Yes."

"Which ghost? We have a few...regulars, I suppose you'd call them."

Daniel shrugged and frowned in concentration. "I can't really recall. I didn't stick around long enough to get a good look at the thing."

"A sensible thing to do, if one was unfamiliar with ghosts."

"Yes," Daniel answered slowly. She was taking on a different tactic than before. This worried Daniel.

"Why didn't you bring my son back to his home?"

"Because he was unconscious at the time and I didn't know who he was," Daniel answered.

"You could have asked someone who was nearby, and my son doesn't really go anywhere without his friends. You couldn't have moved quickly enough to not run into his friends."

"We were pretty far from Danny's usual haunts, as I've come to know them, and I did my best to keep my path erratic, just in case the ghost had backup or was following me. I've learned to be careful."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Did you learn to be careful?"

Daniel shrugged. "Necessity. Being the son of a rich man has its extreme downsides—ransom and kidnapping are only two of them."

"I see. I've noticed you've been tinkering with one of our guns."

"I don't sleep much, so I needed something to occupy myself. I figured learning how ecto-weaponry works was as good a pastime as any."

"Why don't you sleep?"

"I can't," Daniel said, picking idly at his cuticles. "I'm just…never really tired. I also have poor reactions to sleep medication, so that's no cure for my insomnia. I do get _some_ sleep…just not as much as most people."

"Mm-hm. You seem to have gotten the hang of the components of the gun quickly enough."

"I'm a fast learner."

"Apparently, considering you've made modifications to the weapon…almost as if you've seen it before."

"Well, yes, I've _seen_ them before—Danny and I did occasionally work on his homework in your home. I've been in the lab a few times."

"You're good at twisting colloquialisms to suit your purposes."

"Pardon?"

Maddie merely shook her head slightly. "Why do you seem so afraid to tell the truth?"

"I'm not _afraid_ to tell the truth."

"Do you lie to your father?"

"Didn't you?"

"Another evasive answer," Maddie murmured.

Silence fell between the two of them before Maddie spoke up again: "When you stayed over for dinner, what was wrong?"

"Just nerves. I wanted to make a good impression, but I don't think I did."

Maddie frowned. "You're lying."  
"Am not!" Daniel protested, hurt on his features and in his voice, the reaction appearing utterly sincere. "I know my forcing Danny to face some important issues to his emotional distress has you pissed with me, but why do you seem to have such little faith in my intent? I truly mean you and yours no harm. Danny is like a little brother to me—because of that, I will _protect_ you all to the best of my ability. Although I must admit, I'm pretty ineffectual against ghosts."

"How do I know you're not lying now?"

"You don't. But I assure you that I am utterly sincere in this case."

"And I should trust you?"

Daniel shrugged. "That is up to you."

Maddie sighed. "Is Vlad your foster-father?"

"No," Daniel answered.

Maddie looked briefly surprised. "Really? But I was so _sure_…"

"Wouldn't you know if he had a foster-kid? You guys are fairly close."

"We _were_. He's…never really gotten over the incident with the Proto-Portal."

"And he's still chasing you, I know. Danny's told me all about how creepy the guy can be."

"Misguided more than creepy, I think," Maddie murmured.

Daniel shrugged. "If you say so."

Maddie sighed again, softly. "I'm not going to get a definitive answer from you, am I?"

"What?"

Maddie snorted and shook her head. "I swear, you could give actors lessons."

Daniel cracked a small, unsure smile.

Maddie's eyes briefly flashed to the clock hidden amongst the forest of buttons. "We'll be back at Amity within a half-hour."

"Really?" Daniel asked, surprised. He hadn't known they were so close.

Maddie nodded. "It was...interesting, getting to know you."

"I suppose," Daniel said carefully. "I think you'll all be glad to be rid of me, though—what's that saying about visitors and fish...?"

"Fish and visitors smell in three days," Maddie supplied with a small laugh.

"And to think you've put up with me for seven! I'm impressed, Mrs. Fenton," Daniel replied with a chuckle.

"We'll drop you off at your home, if that's okay with you."

"Whatever is best and easiest for you," Daniel replied with a small smile.

"Then that is what we'll do."

Daniel smiled faintly and looked out the window, watching suburbia fly by.

_To think it's only been a week...god it feels like forever! Well, I have a lot of time to make up and a number of things to set in order. I'll be busy for a while. I doubt that Danny will be wanting to see me anytime soon, so that gives me some time and room. _

Daniel allowed himself to become lost in thought and plans until he recognized his apartment building. He smiled at Maddie. "Thank you for bringing me here," he said, taking the bag Danny handed to him before stepping out of the RV. He waved the Fentons a final good-bye before walking back to his room, hand lightly curled around his keys.

_In some strange way, it's nice to be home._

Daniel let down the locks on his room and slipped inside, giving his pet a cold smile before dropping his bag on the floor, making a beeline for the shower.


	26. Return

**Author**: I am officially an idiot. -_-; Updated the wrong chapter. If this doesn't make sense, go back and read the previous chapter. I feel like such a derp right now...

**Disclaimer**: DP mine is not. Daniel is, in a way.

**Chapter 25**

Daniel was unconscious of the small grin on his face as he walked to his job, and greeted his employer with genuine good humor.

"The vacation seems to have been good for you," Mark commented, making Daniel nod slightly.

"I suppose. It certainly was an interesting experience," Daniel replied, setting up his laptop.

"I imagine, since you were traveling with the notorious Fenton family."

"Oh, be kind. They're quite nice once you get to know them."

"Still...ghost hunters?"

Daniel shrugged. "I suppose this town needs them, considering the veritable infestation of ghosts you have."

"That kid-ghost seems to do more for the town than they do."

"They seemed to do well enough for the place _before_ Danny Phantom arrived, though," Daniel said, picking up the logs that Mark and assorted other part-time employees had been keeping. He looked them over quickly before scoffing in disdain. "Dear god, must I be here constantly for anything to be done correctly?"

Mark chuckled. "It's good enough. You're just a perfectionist."

Daniel snorted before taking everything in hand and giving Mark an idle salute. "You know where to find me. I'll be putting all of this together _neatly._ And, of course, making sure nothing goes awry."

Mark snickered and made a shooing motion. "You'll have to tell me all about your little vacation later."

Daniel nodded before re-entering the arcade to hails of greeting from the regulars. He waved languidly back and settled down, the papers spread out over the keyboard of his computer.

"Where've you been?" one guy asked, coming over to him and leaning against the wall.

Daniel looked up at him with a secretive smile. "Vacation."

"Where'd you go?" asked another.

"Oh, all around," Daniel said vaguely as he opened the file that held all the business records. "How have things been in my absence?"

"Everyone was wondering where you were. Was strange for you to just disappear without any word."

"Well, I'm back now, no need to worry," Daniel murmured with a half-smile. "Things seemed to have progressed more or less as usual," he said. "I feel like I'm hardly needed."

There were some vocal protests, which Daniel waved away as he fought down a smirk.

Daniel shooed them and everyone dispersed, leaving Daniel to settle in and work on correcting what he perceived as slips in the bookkeeping.

Daniel was muttering to himself about sloppy work when he heard a panicked whisper come from beside him: "Hide me!" Danny said while invisible.

Daniel jumped slightly in surprise, and felt the younger teen dash behind him. His lips quirked up briefly in a smirk and he shifted his seat and body so that Danny would be hidden from view if he became visible, even if the pursuer looked hard. Daniel went back to typing on his computer and humming off-key as he brought all the accounts back into balance. _Funny that he still comes to me for help._

"Daniel."

Daniel looked up at the speaker through his bangs before tilting his head up entirely, focusing on her. "Yes, Samantha?" he asked evenly, regardless of the barely-contained fury on her features.

"Have you seen Danny?"

"No, not since I was dropped off at my apartment. That was, what, two days ago? I would think he's sick of me, since he was trapped with me for so long."

Samantha glared at him and Daniel merely tipped his head to the side, eyes never wavering from hers, he appearing genuinely confused. "What happened?" he asked, curiosity lacing his voice. "I can't imagine he deliberately angering you, my lady."

"Don't 'my lady' me," Sam growled, and Daniel affected hurt flawlessly.

"Very well. But, if I may ask, why would Danny come to _me_?"

"Because whenever he's got a problem he runs to you," Sam muttered darkly.

"Is that so?" Daniel asked, surprised. "Well, I haven't _seen_ him lately. Should I direct him your way if I see him?"

"Yes. We have something to…_talk_ about."

"Ah," Daniel said, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. "I understand."

Daniel paused and seemed to think. "Very well. If I see him I'll direct him your way."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"You'd better not be lying..."

"Have I done anything that would make you think I've lied to you before?"

"No, but..."

"You have my word as a gentleman that if I ever see Danny, I'll send him your way."

Sam's eyes narrowed at him and Daniel gave her a winning smile. "You can trust me."

"Alright...just this once."

"Thank you," Daniel said with apparently heartfelt gratitude.

Sam simply shrugged and stalked away.

Daniel waited until she was far enough away to not overhear before speaking: "Don't become visible or come out of your hiding spot. I won't be lying when I say I haven't seen you."

"Wow. That's getting technical."

"Playing with words is my specialty. You should know that by now."

Daniel felt Danny lean back against Daniel's chair, and caught a faint sigh.

"So, what exactly did you do to piss Sam off?" Daniel asked, going back to typing.

"I...um...well..."

"Stop stalling and spit it out."

"Well...I did a lot of thinking, during the trip."  
"Obviously. You were quiet a lot, and you're usually not so introspective."

Daniel could feel the dirty look Danny was probably directing his way. "I thought a lot about Sam. About her saying she liked me. About how...well, how _I_ felt about the situation."

"And...?"

"I don't _like_ her as much as I thought."

"What brought you to that conclusion?"

"Well, I mean, you guys _made_ me rest. Even when I'm exhausted and willing to let other people chase ghosts for an evening, Sam's always up for an evening of ghost hunting. I mean, she's gotten tons more helpful as time has gone on, but..."

"You were glad to be away from her."

"I couldn't _breathe._ I just noticed it now."

"Without her constant presence, hm?" Daniel murmured.

"She's nice, she's fun to be around, but, sometimes..."

Daniel shrugged. "So she's not The One. Don't worry about it, Danny—you _do_ have all your life ahead of you." A thought occurred to Daniel that made him smirk salaciously. "If you want, I can teach you how to flirt."

"WHAT?" Danny half-exclaimed, and Daniel snickered.

"It's just _flirting._ Seduction is beyond you right now."

"Wh-what? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Danny, when I'm trying, _really_ trying, I can get the straightest man to fall in love with me."

Daniel could feel the incredulous stare through the chair. "You're kidding."

"I've done it before," Daniel said, the smallest of malign smirks passing over his lips.

"_Seriously__?_"  
"I don't lie to you." Daniel paused before he chuckled darkly. "_That_ was certainly one of my more interesting seductions."

"Did you have…you know?"

"Sex? No. I was simply out to prove a point. Two points, actually."

"What?"

"The guy was horribly homophobic and I don't approve of intolerance. That he also said he would never fall victim to my charms—he meant socially, but, I couldn't resist the challenge." Daniel sighed in contentment at the memory—it had been far, far too much fun. "Anyway, seduction is out of your skill range right now. I can give you the basic skill set for successfully reeling in people, though."

"Why would I _want_ to do that?"

Daniel shrugged. "Who knows? Knowing how to charm people is a good thing—although you have to be careful who you use it around. Still, people tend to enjoy being charmed. Alright, if you _let_ me, I can teach you how to be charming. It'll be good for you, actually—pull you out of your socially awkward shell. You won't turtle when a good-looking girl comes up and talks to you. That kind of confidence makes a good first impression. It won't be cheesy pick-up lines, either, you know. It requires a good skill at reading people, though." Daniel paused, thoughtful. "Actually, I bet that if your sister put her mind to it, she'd make a really great flirt."

"That," Danny told him, "is a seriously disturbing thought."

Daniel chuckled. "So, yes or no? Do you want to learn how to charm the pants off a girl?"

"No…not really. I don't mind you teaching me in _school_ subjects, but I'd like to learn _some_ things on my own."

"You do. I give you the basics of a technique and let you run with it. Some of the ways you've manipulated the ghost attacks I've introduced to you baffles me—I would have never thought to use my energy that way. I still think you should learn to charm, but I can set that aside." Daniel placed a piece of paper on the ground beside him. "Now, is that all that brought you to me? I can't imagine you _want_ to hang out with me after finding out my true disposition."

Daniel felt the flinch through the back of the chair. "How many people know about that?"

"Grand total? You and my father. Most ghosts fear me because of a reputation I've fabricated. Most _people_, though...in my home time, I think three people had a suspicion that I wasn't who I presented to the world. Here? I think _this _Vlad has his suspicions, but I feel he doesn't know the true extent to which I've deviated from you."

Danny sighed softly. "So, you think that's your true disposition?"

"Danny, I really don't know what my true disposition is. What you saw was just a huge chunk of how sadistic and evil I can be. As you've undoubtedly noticed, I'm usually not like that."

"Then, how do you behave on default?"

Daniel shrugged. "I can't tell you. I just….am who I am. I'm a charmer, a schemer, a friend, an enemy, gentle and ruthless, amoral and kind. I can't tell you who I am because I'm never quite sure who I'll have to be to get by."

The lights rained quiet whispers about his worthlessness that he pushed aside. He had better things to pay attention to.

"Who you'll have to be?" Danny prompted.

"Sometimes I'm Daniel Masters, son of business tycoon. Other times, I'm Daniel, consummate charmer and incorrigible tease. I'm an employee, a student, a 'friend' of one kind or another...of course, these masks are beneficial for me, too. They leave me protected, safe."

"But there's someone behind the masks?"

"Unless you become it."

"What?"

"At first, Daniel Masters was a mask for my former Self. Then, over time, Daniel Masters _became_ who I am. I am all of those masks and none of them." Daniel paused and pushed away the shadows of memories that gnawed at the edges of his consciousness. "Right now _you_ have about four."

"What? Do not!"

"There's Danny Fenton, son of Jack and Maddie Fenton. There's Danny Fenton, high school student, frequent victim of bullies. There's Danny Fenton, friend. And then there's, you know, your ghostly self. Every person's behavior is in part dictated by the situation they find themselves in. I'm just a more extreme version that most."

Daniel heard Danny sigh gustily, which made Daniel chuckle. "Hey, while you're hiding, do you want to learn how to deliberately heal yourself?"

"You can do that?"

"Of course."

"It won't hurt anyone else?"

"No, no. It's something you do purely to yourself."

"Like what?"

"Well, all you have to do to accelerate the healing is bring the part of you that remains in the other form to the fore. When in ghost form, you have to emphasize your human half, and vice versa when in human form."

"How do I do that?"

Daniel frowned and crossed his arms. "It's...hard to explain. You have to _know_ yourself. Know how you _feel_. I suppose it'll be easiest to identify your _ghost_ energy. Figuring out your human energy is _really_ difficult. I only _just_ figured it out."

"How?"

"Lots of meditation."

"Like what those monks do?"

"Yeah, a little. We're not going to worry about that, though. First things first. How do you trigger your transformation?" Daniel asked and idly ticked off a few customers entering. "My, it's busy today. I suppose the lack of school gives people more time, hm?"

"I guess. And as for the ghost thing...I dunno. I kind of just reach inside myself and there's a..._feeling_...that's different. That's it."

Daniel nodded slightly. "Focus on that, but don't provoke the transformation, for obvious reasons. Once you feel like you _know_ your signature, we'll move on."

Daniel frowned, something feeling a little off. It was that prickle on the back of his neck that hinted that bad things were afoot.

"Stay here," he told Danny softly and stood, setting his laptop aside, setting up a clear ghost-shield around Danny, just as a precaution. He walked slowly, casually around the arcade. _It doesn't _seem_ like anything's wrong...but why do I feel so nervous?_

He finished his patrol through the arcade, casually conversing with the regulars and making himself known as a silent presence to those who were new. He finally looped back to Danny, dispelling the ghost shield around the teen, who was still concentrating.

"Danny?" he asked once he had sat down.

Daniel felt the younger teen start against the back of his chair. "What?"

"Just me, relax," Daniel murmured. "Do you have a feel for it?"

"I...think so."

"Good. Now you get to learn about how that energy circulates in your body. In a way...your ghost energy circulates through your body like blood. It follows natural energy lines in your body."

"You believe in that stuff?"

"Danny, I _have_ to, especially since it's correct. It took a long time to get a feel for my human-energy, though, since it was mostly obscured by the ghost energy...anyway. You're going to learn how to trace that energy flow. This is because if you manage to direct that energy to the correct spots, you can focus it and use it to accelerate your natural healing. But first you have to figure out your own body, and since the human form is _very_ complicated, this will take some time." Daniel paused. "But it _will_ get you good at energy manipulation. 2 birds, one stone."

Daniel leaned back in his seat before a shiver that had nothing to do with his ghost sense crept up his spine. _What is this feeling and why can't I get rid of it?_

"Daniel, you okay?"

"No, I'm not and I'm not sure why."

"Huh?"

"I can't shake this feeling. It's...elusive, though, and it's driving me _crazy_."

"Sure it's not just you being paranoid?"

Daniel shook his head. "No...it's not that..."

B_ut, then, what? It's ghostly...but not quite. Vlad? No, I haven't been able to feel him before, why start now? And anyway, it's too...muted...to be close-by._

Daniel sighed softly. "I don't think we'll be able to continue with the healing here."

"Why not?"

"Because it requires a lot of ghost energy manipulation...and I certainly don't want people finding out about your little secret."

"You don't care if they find out about yours?"

"Danny, _no-one_ knows much about me. I'll just be some random freak...especially because I don't really transform anymore unless I want a disguise."

"Right..." Danny murmured and fell quiet.

Slowly, the arcade's customer flow faded, then stopped, making Daniel sigh in relief. It had been exceptionally busy that night.

_Guess it's because I'm back?_ He wondered idly.

"Hey, Daniel," Danny said after a long silence.

"Yes?"

"How _did_ you end up here? You've always glossed over that subject."

Daniel hesitated, then sighed. "I was studying in the mansion. My ghost sense went off—I ignored it. I mean, ghosts were only coming and going _constantly_ through my home. Another ghost passing through was nothing to make note of—especially because there were none left who were dumb enough to attack me in my own home. Suddenly, a voice that I hadn't heard in three years spoke from behind me. In my surprise, I phased through the chair and found older—well, older to _me—_versions of Jasmine, Tucker, and Samantha looking back at me. They said they needed my help. Initially, I resisted. But, then, Clockwork paused time and spoke to me, convinced me to go with them. I gave in, told Vlad I was going, and took their offered hands. However, as we were almost at whenever we needed to be _something_ intervened and sent me spinning away from them. When I landed, it was to see _you_."

"...ouch. That must've been a shock."

Daniel snorted and shook his head.

"Do you know _why_ they wanted you to go with them?"

"No. They wouldn't say, which is why it took the Master of Time to convince me." Daniel sighed. "But, really, I don't mind. Where I am now...what I've experienced...I'm content. I mean, it would have been nice to be able to go back to where I originated, but that's not in the cards anymore. I just wish I had my father here with me..."

"Wait, I thought you hated him."

"I do. That doesn't mean he isn't important to me, that I'm not happy with the strange semblance of a family we two make."

Danny cocked his head to the side and smiled faintly. "Guess everyone needs a family, huh?"

"Indeed," Daniel answered with mock solemnity.

A sudden shudder wracked Daniel's body and he gasped as he felt a _yank_ on his power.

_Ember?_ He thought and instinctively phased through his laptop, standing quickly, able to catch the female ghost who appeared before them, cradling her gently in his arms.

She looked very, _very_ bad.

Daniel knelt on the ground, still holding her. "Ember! Can you hear me?" he whispered heatedly to her, brushing his fingers against her forehead. Her ponytail was non-existent, and most of the weapons (see: instruments) that she carried with her were gone. Her clothes were in tatters, and her body wasn't faring much better. He set up a ghost shield he imbued with energy that would make them invisible to all senses.

"Dan...iel...?"

"Yes, it's me," Daniel replied, conjuring ice before melting it with his ghost powers, washing away the ectoplasm, revealing the true extent of her wounds.

"So glad...it still worked."

"What, our connection?" Danile asked absently. "Nothing can break it. Now, I want you to concentrate on _being_. I can't help you if you don't want to stay alive. Right now, I can still pull you through," he told her, using his combined ice and ghost energy to seal the majority of the wounds. Actually healing them would take longer and more concentration.

"Never told him 'bout you."

"Told who about me?" Damiel asked.

"Phantom. Knew I wasn't from this time. Decided that the best way to get answers was to beat them out of me. I like your approach better."

"I'd imagine," Daniel replied dryly. _And it's not like you would have been able to tell him anything about me. That, too, is part of our little connection_. "Now, stay still."

Daniel closed his eyes and slowly synced with the rock diva. "Tell me what happened? If you keep on talking I'll know you're still alive."

Daniel felt Ember chuckle, but it was strained.

"I was taking a short-cut through the Ghost Zone," she started. "I know you've told me it's not safe for girl ghosts to be there, but...it's sometimes just easier to travel through to get to somewhere else in the Human World."

Daniel sighed in frustration, but said nothing as he directed some of his energy into Ember to help pull her own energy to spots that needed it.

"He surprised me. Blindsided me with a sound attack, the jerk." Ember's breath momentarily hitched in her throat as Daniel encouraged healing in one area, the processing stinging slightly.

"And?"

"Well, we fought. He was surprised at how well I did against him. I found a way to counter his attack."  
"Oh?"

"It's all wave stuff. You tune your frequency to be off by half-a-phase. The destructive interference will prevent damage."

"How'd you get hurt so badly, though, if you can counter the attack?"

"He was fast and can clone himself. I couldn't keep up."

"Mm-hm," Daniel murmured and changed his attention to another particularly bad wound.

"He was...really, really freaky, though."

"Oh?"

"He sounded a little like you at your worst. Like...get rid of what makes you human and _you_ would be _him_. Who exactly _is_ he?"

Daniel was silent for a long moment as he worked. "Exactly what you said with a slight change. Take Danny Phantom, combine with Vlad Plasmius, remove all humanity, and that's the result."

"Yikes."

"Very eloquent, my dear diva," Daniel drawled, falling out of synch with her. Exhaustion hit him like a punch to the gut and he twitched slightly, clamping down on the weakness. He regarded the ghost in his arms, and gave her a small smile. "You'll probably get better. I stimulated healing in all your wounds, and took care of the two worst ones. Now it's just up to you to—"

One of Daniel's hands came up to support his head, a grimace flashing across his face as he eyes squeezed shut. He felt one of Ember's hands lightly brush against his cheek and he opened his eyes slowly.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why what?"

"Save me? Do this to yourself?" Ember murmured and poked Daniel's side making him bite back a whimper of pain.

"Because your _mine_ and I do _not_ let what's mine be hurt," Daniel half-snarled quietly. "Phantom is going to pay for hurting you."

"I always knew you were possessive, but wasn't aware it went that deep," she said quietly.

Daniel gave her a brief cold smile.

Daniel let go and Ember slowly stood, Daniel following her, the shield expanding around them to accommodate for the increase in height. A brief flash of pain crossed his face as the two wounds he had deliberately healed made themselves known to Daniel. It was why he never healed anyone, really—to heal them he had to take the injuries onto himself.

Ember made unhappy noises about the state of her clothing before she turned to face Daniel, her eyes catching his.

"Thank you," she said and before Daniel's slowed reflexes could react, her lips were pressed gently against his. The contact was brief, Ember pulling back and giving him a smirk and a wink before vanishing in a flash of pale fire.

"God, women are weird," Daniel muttered. He looked around him and sighed in relief when he saw that people had come and gone without noticing he had done anything. The final two people walked _around_ Daniel's shield like it was something they would do everyday without thinking. Daniel watched them depart before letting the shield fall, sighing softly.

He sat down heavily on his chair and winced, closing his eyes. _That probably wasn't the smartest of decisions, but now I have someone who is utterly convinced that I really do have her best interests at heart...the fool._

"Daniel?"

Daniel opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Now I have to tell you that Sam wants to see you to talk to you about your lack of romantic feelings for her."

Danny flinched. "Um...you _do_ know you're bleeding, right?"

Daniel looked down at his shirt and groaned. "And this was a new shirt! It's hard enough to get _normal_ bloodstains out..."

"How'd that happen?"

"I healed a ghost."

"And they attacked you for it?"

"No, it's not that. Healing another being is...complicated. But, I needed her trust, so it's worthwhile."

"How do you heal someone else? Can I do it to humans?"

"I'd imagine that you could eventually learn to heal humans using the same principles as I use to heal ghosts, but I think you'd get lots of weird looks—as you said, not many people believe in the idea of 'human energy' circulating through the body at all times."

Daniel leaned back and put his hand over his side, pain briefly flashing across his face. He closed his eyes and concentrated on accumulating energy into his side in hopes of at least stopping the bleeding.

"If you _healed_ someone, how did you get hurt?"

"In order to heal someone, you have to take their injuries onto yourself. These two were the most serious. Everything else I simply closed. She'll heal on her own quickly enough."

"Who's 'she'?"

"Ember," Daniel answered, flinching slightly as he started the healing process, setting aside a little bit of energy to be used over time.

"_What_?" Danny quietly exclaimed.

"Quiet," Daniel said, his weariness carefully controlled. "Go back to your home. Stop by Samantha's on your way. I think she needs to be reassured that you don't love _me_."

"WHAT?" Danny exclaimed, horror in his voice.

Daniel shrugged and opened his eyes. "That's the feeling I'm getting. I think she thinks you're in love with me, and so don't want to be with _her_ anymore."

"But...but...that's just _wrong_."  
"She doesn't know the true nature of our..._relationship_. I think it'd be best for you to go allay her fears before she does something you'll be regretting later."

Danny swallowed hard and nodded. "I think I'll get on that..."

"You do that," Daniel said with a small smile and shooed the younger half-ghost away with his hands. Once Danny was gone, Daniel sighed heavily and rubbed his temples.

"Two more hours," Daniel muttered to himself, "then you can go home and collapse on your couch." Daniel leaned back in his chair and looked at his computer, a thought unfurling in his head.

_That's probably a bad idea, Daniel. You're already exhausted. But it'd be _so cool_ if you could do that..._

Daniel hesitated before phasing through his laptop and took a quick look around. _No-one here. I could definitely _try_...still probably a Bad Idea._

Daniel walked back to his chair and sat down, fingertips running across the laptop. _But it'd be _awesome..._and you're also _exhausted_...aw, damnit. First try to see how low your reserves are by using those senses first. If it burns, you're not going to do anything._

Daniel sighed and leaned back, expanding his technology senses. He winced, and after a few minutes figured out a way to filter and classify the electronics he was feeling. _So much more..._

There were the arcade games, the power, cable, and telephone lines, individual houses, cars, appliances...it was giving him a massive headache, but it wasn't because he was using power.

_I think that maybe Technus's power and my ghost power run on parallel tracks...they use the same kind of power, but not in the same way...fine. We're going to try that._

Daniel brought his senses back and hesitated.

_After my job is over. I won't be quite so spent then._

The final hours went by at a crawl, no-one else coming into the arcade as he finished balancing the books—he had nothing to distract himself but fighting the thoughts that were placed in his head by the games. He'd have to work on getting Mr. Pac-man to stop eating his mind, but that could happen later.

Once closing time finally rolled around, Daniel closed the gate and sighed, left in utter darkness aside from the light of the softly flickering machines. A slow smile spread across his face.

_Time to try that out._

Daniel sat back down in his chair, picked up his laptop, and ran his fingers lightly over it. He closed his eyes and exerted his new abilities. He sunk his fingertips into the piece of machinery, projecting his consciousness into it, and with a small amount of effort, he found the wireless connection.

He gasped when he found himself bombarded with sounds, images, information, far too much for his mind to handle. With a cry and a jerk, he wrenched his consciousness back into his body and pulled his fingertips out (without harming the computer).

He was breathing hard and winced, shivering slightly. He could still feel the buzz of information in the back of his mind and he groaned. _Am I going to have this connection _all the time_ now? Not like my mind wasn't crowded enough already._

A quiet, derisive laugh echoed through his mind, making him tense briefly, his head falling into his hands. _C'mon. You can figure out how to regulate this. If you managed to find a way to separate your memories from the ghosts you absorb, you can damn well find a place to shove this._

Daniel wasn't quite sure how long he spent shuffling through his mind, but eventually he found a way to tune out most of the information, leaving heavy filters on it that would let through only _very_ specific information unless he tapped into it directly.

_Wonder if Technus can do this,_ he thought idly before he pushed himself to his feet. He swayed slightly and steadied himself against a wall.

_Done too much today. I forgot how much healing takes out of me. _That_ is why I never use it._

Daniel grabbed his bag, turned invisible, phased through the wall, and oriented himself towards his apartment. He looked around him for a moment before teleporting to the garbage dump behind his apartment complex, sighing as he allowed himself to become visible once he was certain that no-one was around.

He unlocked the front door, closing and locking it firmly behind him, trotted up the stairs, unlocked his room and stepped inside, re-locking everything after he dropped his laptop bag next to the door. He turned and swatted away his pet, sending him back to the corner that Daniel had designated as a place for it to rest, exhaustion dragging at his bones.


	27. Reunion

**Author**: /cough Hello? hello? Yes, yes, this is the author. Yes, this is an actual chapter. Yes, Jimmy Collins, it is early, but that's due to our discussions and the inspiration that they engendered. But, with 410 reviews, 331 favorites, and 308 alerts, it strokes my ego too much to not update. That and I do so love Daniel and the inspiration on my original fiction is lagging. I hope my readers find this up to par with the rest of my chapters. As I have changed as a writer somewhat, the writing may feel/read slightly differently. But, that's enough of my blathering. On with the chapter!

**Disclaimer**: Danny Phantom will belong to me the day that the Packers belong to Vlad.

**Chapter 26**

"Earl Grey?"

"Coffee."

"Hate how it tastes."

"If you must."

"Leftovers?

"I never knew you were so domestic."

"Pasta?"

"It is edible?"

"_I_ eat it."

"That means nothing."

"Danny eats it."

"Danny?"

"Danny."

"Danny…?"

"Danny Fenton."

"You _have_ been taking care of yourself?"

"_It_ never happened here."

"What?"

"_It_ never happened."

"You better not be lying to me."

"There's no benefit to doing so."

"_How_?"

"Clockwork, from what I was told."

"He exists here?"

"And helped keep everything from falling apart."

"They're all still here."

"Mm-hm."

"You've met them."

"I have."

"And you're still in one piece."

"Don't give me that tone."

"Oh?"

"It's complicated."

"You've met…Danny?"

"I'm good friends with him—almost an older brother, if you will."

"A terrible one, probably."

"He seems to tolerate me well enough."

"What year is it?"

"I'm 19."

"…bullshit."

"Look at my calendar."

"My _God_, boy."

"You take nothing with your tea."

"Yes. Daniel—"

"Don't."

An uneasy silence hung in Daniel's small kitchen. He barely dared to breathe as he stood in front of the microwave, nuking a mug of water to a near-boil. He was on _very_ tenuous mental ground, the whispers that he managed to control thrashing at their bonds. He nearly bit his tongue more than once to keep himself from speaking, from betraying how close he was to proving that his body's unique structure made it impossible for any one medicine to be effective for long.

He knew that his guest could tell, though, from how he felt the man's eyes on him.

"You are supporting yourself."

"Yes."

"I am impressed."

Daniel snorted and shook his head. The microwave dinged and Daniel carefully took out the steaming mug and dunked a Twining's Earl Grey bag into it. He watched the moisture seep into the paper bag as it fell to the bottom of the mug, deep brown swirls spinning through the clear liquid.

Daniel didn't believe in coincidences. He also didn't hold much stock in intuition either, but that may have come from how his traitor mind was. He wasn't much for luck, but the confluence of random events that led him to where he was were simple…remarkable.

It had been a quiet day. He had been released from his not-job at ING, but wasn't distraught. It had been merely something to fill the time until he got his feet under him. Now that he had more presence and orientation in the world, he could look for something more productive than being a paperweight.

The electronics store had threatened to terminate him due to his vacation, but Daniel had talked his boss down from doing that, so he felt relatively accomplished. Not that it had been particularly hard—the right words, the right tone, just enough flattery…

He had been walking away from finishing his shift at the mall, enjoying the unseasonably mild weather, when he saw Danny zip by overhead to crash into the pavement a few dozen feet away. Daniel winced in sympathy, but didn't feel compelled to help. He was still trying to figure out his new technomancy, which was proving more exhausting than he would have liked to admit. It hadn't meshed with his own ghost energy yet, which was probably why he was having such problems.

Danny either didn't notice him or ignored him, since the younger half-ghost immediately sprang back into the air and on a return trajectory.

Daniel followed him with distant interest, but frowned when he saw _who_ Danny was fighting.

Daniel walked carefully to get a better look at the entity Danny was fighting with such fervor and futility. His frown deepened when he finally had a good perspective on the specter Danny was attempting to fight.

It was Plasmius, but it wasn't.

Oh, there were surface similarities. The blue skin, fangs, spiky hair, bizarre clothing cut; however, the coloration of the clothing was _wrong_. The color of the what should have been the lining of his cloak had overtaken the rest of his outfit, staining it a deep, eerie crimson, a rusty-red, the color of dried blood, and the inside was now white, although the gloves and boots remained black. The eyes were different, too. Instead of full-red glow, the color was now concentrated in the irises of his eyes, lending him an even greater air of malevolence.

The ghost's appearance made Daniel shift uneasily and he found himself unconsciously rubbing the spot where the Ring would lie on his chest if he had it out. He _knew_ this wasn't Danny's Plasmius—he could account for the man, who was sitting in his mayoral office, plotting.

_So, then…who is this?_

"What is this, some kind of sick _joke_?" Plasmius drawled. The ghost quirked an incredulous eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. Danny said something in return—but Daniel didn't hear it. Plasmius' voice was still resonating in his head, the words being pinged back and forth in his brain. Plasmius' voice was older, wearier, and less forgiving. There was a simmering anger and hurt and it made Daniel clap his hands over his ears and squeeze his eyes shut to keep his mind under _his_ control and free from the _Others_ that controlled his mind when he wasn't careful.

_What if…? No, no. It can't be. That would be too neat, too convenient, too—_

"Tell me, who is pulling your strings, little half-ghost?"

Daniel's eyes opened, the infuriating, familiar taunting tone making his world tilt in interesting ways.

Daniel stood rigidly as he watched Danny flail ineffectually at the strange Plasmius and a creeping sense of familiarity crawled up his spine.

But it _couldn't_ be him. It just…couldn't, and that was that.

"Is this really the best you can do? Pathetic."

Daniel jerked and his lips thinned out into an angry frown.

_Asshole_. _I've been _training_ Danny, and I'm not going to let someone insult my hard work._

Daniel ducked behind a building and invoked his transformation, the cool, calm quiet descending upon his mind. He gave himself a once-over and sighed. If this Plasmius caught him visible, everything would be ruined. He wanted to see if this one really was…and to do that he needed to test him. Anyway, if Plasmius saw through his gimmick right away, it would say something about who he was and what he could do.

Daniel forced his form into that of Danny and checked himself quickly to be _sure_ he had the illusion correct.

_Here we go,_ he thought grimly.

Daniel turned invisible and split into three clones. One he left by a transformer box to soak up the excess electromagnetic field generated while he and the other clone flew up to just above where not-Plasmius was ghost-handling Danny.

_Let's make this shot count._

Daniel carefully maneuvered until he had a direct line of fire and sent two sharp blasts of Ghostly Whistles (it was a working name) at Plasmius-but-not.

The sound surprised the two combatants enough that Plasmius took one direct hit while the other grazed him (Danny avoided both, to Daniel's approval).

Plasmius sent out a sphere of vibrant purple energy and Daniel dispelled one clone while teleporting to the other. Danny wasn't so fast, however, and the purple energy stuck to him like glue, outlining his form and that of his rudimentary clone's.

It was a familiar tactic, one that Daniel himself had used on rather annoying ghosts that liked to play hide-and-seek with him. If this Plasmius' move worked the same way his did, the goo wouldn't come off of a ghost for _hours_, leaving the victim painfully visible, and therefore vulnerable. He was relieved to see that the range of the energy wasn't extensive, and feel short of his position by a comfortable margin.

He could discount the move, however, since it was something easy enough to develop. Just basic energy manipulation—Danny was a thought away from making it, since he could already generate sticky ectoplasm.

It wasn't Daniel's ghost sense that went off, but a more instinctive _oh shit_ sense that made him teleport away just before a clone of Plasmius sent an energy blast at where he had been.

That the clone had been forced visible when it used the energy wasn't surprising—most ghosts couldn't use energy while invisible. It had taken Daniel a while to perfect that skill. He felt Plasmius' eyes on him, though, which made him tense. If this one could see through invisibility…

That this Plasmius could use fire wasn't anything earth-shattering as far as ghost abilities went, but it was the _heat_ that made it different. Most ghost fire wasn't truly hot—it wasn't so much a thermal burn as a chemical burn if you were unlucky enough to get caught by it. But Daniel could _feel_ the increase in temperature of the air where he dodged it, and it left a tiny tremor of thunder in its wake.

As if it were more plasma than fire.

Daniel noticed that Danny wouldn't move nearly fast enough to move out of the trajectory of the plasma and sent a protective shell of ice energy around Danny. The clash of superheated plasma and preternaturally arctic ice was explosive and distracting, and gave Daniel time to absorb the energy that his other clone had been soaking up and plan a few traps for Plasmius. Debilitating and annoying things, but nowhere near lethal. They would sting _a lot_, but wouldn't—shouldn't, at least—put Plasmius down for the count. One would be an ice trap that would bind him to one spot, suck out his energy, and hopefully force him to revert to human; another would bombard him with pellets of energy that would melt away his ghostly flesh; one would disorient him with a blinding flash of light and sound; and one that would, if he positioned Plasmius correctly, deliver a hard enough concussive blow to send him flying a block away.

Danny was providing a very good distraction, which allowed Daniel to set the ice trap right behind Plasmius. When Plasmius took a step back, Daniel swore as it was revealed to be nothing but a clone—however, that left a sphere of rather potent energy behind that Daniel claimed as he sunk down to the ground quickly to see where Plasmius might be.

Plasmius, as Daniel had known him, tended towards more physical fighting—much akin to Danny, really. That this Plasmius seemed to be taking a more cautious route made Daniel nervous. His second and third traps also dispelled clones, which made Daniel scowl. Maybe Plasmius was hovering invisible somewhere above the field of battle, observing.

Daniel knew _he_ would be doing that if he wasn't involved in trying to puzzle out if this Plasmius was…

Daniel winced as Danny was embedded in the pavement and knew that the younger half-ghost would be nursing wounded pride for a few days.

_Although I suppose getting a beat-down every now and then isn't a bad thing,_ he thought distantly as he watched his final trap be tripped by a clone. That Plasmius was sacrificing so many clones and energy to probe out the danger made Daniel bite his lip in frustration.

He had forgotten how damn _smart_ the man could be.

Daniel held back a cry of surprise when he was gabbed from behind. He phased intangible—only to find Plasmius' grip still solid and himself forced visible.

"What do we have here?"

Daniel let loose a wave of ice energy that froze Plasmius in place and allowed him to teleport away.

_Well, damn,_ Daniel thought. _Seems like I found him._

Daniel dodged a clone sent at him and implanted a small energy globe in it, which promptly imploded into tiny spheres. As he moved _just_ enough to avoid an energy wave, he gathered the globes and used the energy they had ensnared to supplement his own meager resources.

Daniel couldn't avoid one clone's attack, so moved with it before grabbing onto it and draining what energy he could, although it vanished before he had taken all of it.

Daniel clapped his hands, which sent out a similar, but shorter and less-powerful, energy wave as the Ghostly Wail, which dispelled all the clones and left him looking at only the _real_ Plasmius. Before Plasmius could fully recover, he pelted a ball of sticky ectoplasm at him, which hit him in the stomach and splattered across the eerie, red cloth. The goo couldn't be duplicated, so he would always knew which was Plasmius, should the man clone himself again.

Daniel's resources were quickly dwindling, so he remained visible, as doing otherwise would simply be an energy drain. He couldn't be bothered to sustain any clones either, except as decoys that would explode into shards of ice and energy when attacked. He was fairly sure that Plasmius would wise up to that tactic quickly enough—admittedly, it was a newer move, one that he had in development when he had left his home time, but it was rudimentary, really.

However, sustaining the illusion was also taxing, and Daniel knew that he would have to drop it soon, if he wanted to prolong the battle without using the Ring.

Daniel turned away one of Plasmius' hits, moved with one that sent him spinning toward the ground, and winced when Plasmius treated him to a hit to the sternum that would have sent a normal person down. Luck was with Daniel, however, as he landed near electrical cables. He drew the latent surrounding energy to him, which gave him the boost he needed to avoid being KO'd by a blast sent his way.

He was nevertheless at the state of exhaustion when he would normally have begun drawing on the Ring's power, but that wasn't the _point_.

A shiver ran through him as he easily anticipated an attack from Plasmius, and also predicted the follow-up to his own repose—this time it was Plasmius who hit the pavement.

It was small consolation, but Plasmius seemed to be hurting just as badly as he—although not enough to not be able to swat Danny away absent-mindedly as he watched Daniel.

Part of Daniel wanted to throw in his newly acquired technomancy, but since he hadn't a good sense of how it all fit, he felt that it would be more of a liability than useful.

Daniel countered another attack from Plasmius, meeting the bright violet energy with his own neon green, deliberately charging it so the collision sent off a blinding clap of light and sound.

He dropped down next to a transmission box and placed his hand on it, drawing the energy from it, which made the street-lights nearby flicker.

Even with the borrowed energy, Daniel was past the point of exhaustion. He had enough for one last potent move, but afterwards all his energy would be devoted to keeping himself invisible and in ghost-form.

Danny seemed to have recovered faster than Plamius, and actually managed to get in a few solid hits, which obviously annoyed the older half-ghost.

Daniel took in a deep breath and let it out in a slow, steady stream. He gathered a ball of ghost and ice energy between his hands, keeping it the size of a softball, even though he packed more and more energy into it, making it glow increasingly brighter. His vision briefly swam, but he managed to score a direct hit when he threw the attack at Plasmius and detonated it with a snap of his fingers.

Daniel slumped down against the metal of the box and pulled energy around him to keep himself invisible and in his ghost form.

He felt Plasmius hit the pavement and smiled faintly.

_Maybe I'll be given enough time to gather enough resources to _want_ to move_.

However, he was still slumped and half-conscious when he felt his collar yanked forward, pulling his body with the motion. He opened his eyes to see feeble violet fire gathered around Plasmius' fist, a mixture of emotions that Daniel couldn't quite discern playing across the half-ghost's face.

He didn't dare to let himself hope, but there were too many times, too many instances, too many powers that said that this Plasmius _just_ might be…

"The fire is new, frootloop," he croaked.

Plasmius froze and the fire vanished. He released Daniel, who rubbed his throat lightly as he stared up at the sky, his whole being hurting as his ghost form fell. He was proud that he kept the invisibility, though.

"Daniel?" Plasmius whispered, wary, mistrusting—hopeful.

The silence between them was brittle.

"You're real," Vlad breathed. "You're _real_."

Vlad's astonishment seemed to quickly turn to anger, and Daniel closed his eyes against the sudden flare of fire.

_I hate how I still lose to him,_ Daniel groused.

So he was astonished when he was dragged into a vicious hug, the energy gone.

Daniel's eyes reluctantly opened and he sighed softly. He gripped Vlad's cloak and used energy he dragged from the older half ghost to teleport them to his apartment.

That had been a few hours ago. In retrospect, it was a stupid move, but Vlad wouldn't have been able to come into Daniel's apartment if he hadn't actually been Vlad.

"How'd you survive?" Daniel asked as he dumped the tea bag in the trash under his sink.

Vlad shrugged as Daniel put the tea before him. "It doesn't matter anymore."

Daniel nodded, but remained standing, strangely uncomfortable. "I know it's not—"

"When will I meet him?"

Daniel tapped his fingers on the back of a chair. "Not sure. We had a…disagreement."

"How much does he know?"

Daniel looked to Vlad, who watched him carefully. "As much as you do."

Vlad's eyebrows snapped up in surprise. "You _trust_ him?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"Because he's not-me, but I know him inside-out."

"He has been your center here."

Daniel hummed.

Vlad took a sip of the tea, then said, "What trouble has my _darling son_ been up to in my absence?"

Daniel smirked. "Probably nothing worse than what _father dearest_ was mixed up in."

He recognized then why Danny always became nervous when he smirked, as Daniel recagnoized the mirror of the expression on Vlad's face.

It made him feel oddly warm.

"Master?"

Daniel looked over to Walker and smiled. He gestured his pet over and ran his fingers lovingly over a prominent scar he had left on Walker's face.

"_I_ found my father," he said softly before grabbing Walker's collar and sending a burst of energy into it that made the ghost writhe with agony.

His pet began to choke out an _I'm sorry_, but Daniel snarled, "Silence. Your ineffectualness disgusts me."

"Master—"

Daniel shook the ghost and sent another shock of power through Walker before dragging energy out of him, leaving Walker drained and nearly insubstantial, the most physical thing being his collar—which was also the only thing keeping him grounded in reality and 'alive'.

Daniel released the whimpering ghost, who collapsed to the floor, shivering.

Daniel knelt beside the ghost and crooned, "I am keeping you around because you still might be of use to me. Go to your corner. Make no sound, no movement until I've decided you've been punished long enough. Do you understand me, pet?"

"Yes, Master," the ghost whispered and crawled over to his designated resting spot.

"Time was perhaps kinder to my memories that it ought to have been," Vlad said.

Daniel looked over to him. Vlad was watching him with appraising eyes over the mug of tea.

"What, you forgot about my pet?"

"Oh, no. How could I?"

"Then why are you surprised?"

"Because time dulled my recollection of just how ruthless you are with him."

Daniel smirked and shrugged. "Looks like we have more catching up to do than I thought." Daniel paused. "How long was I gone, anyway, if you could forget something so…significant?"

"You're lucky I managed to find the Clockwork of our time, since I think I would have killed you had I not known that it wasn't through lack of trying that you were unable to return."

Daniel suppressed a grimace. He knew he wouldn't have fared well if Vlad had just up and disappeared on him. "I—"

"Don't."

Strangely, the awkward silence dissipated and Daniel sat down across from Vlad. "Heard you used the chaos for your benefit."

Vlad quirked an eyebrow.

"What exactly happened?"

Vlad shrugged. "The end of the world."

"Fire and brimstone type thing?"

"Not quite. It was more as if everything was tearing apart," Vlad replied, and made a twisting-pulling gesture with his hands. "It unraveled."

Daniel hummed. "Yeah, guess I can see that."

"Oh?"

"Hey, _I_ felt it here, too. No-one but our Ember, my pet, and I survived. I had a brief connection with Vortex, but he dissolved when the worlds merged."

"Interesting. How is your presence in this ghost zone?"

"Minimal. I haven't been able to get in."

"Are you going to change that?"

Daniel frowned slightly. The man was giving him an inscrutable look that made him nervous. "I…" Daniel eventually shook his head. "What would the point be?"

"Then what do you deem to be your purpose?"

"To help Danny. After that? I might try for that MBA. What about you, frootloop? Another you also exists here, and you look very similar, unlike Danny and I."  
Vlad sat back in the chair and took a sip of the tea. "How odd, to think another me exists."

"He's nowhere near as strong as you, and still delusional."

Vlad smirked and took another sip of his tea.

"You've aged well, frootloop."

"Thank you," Vlad drawled, and Daniel suppressed a chuckle. "It really is the year you say it is?"

"Yes—I have no reason to lie about that."

Daniel had a sudden, overwhelming fear that he was looking for someone in Vlad that no longer existed, that the Vlad that he had come to rely upon was gone, replaced by someone else who would try to use his sickness against him, seek to ruin his place in this world somehow, drag him down into the agony that he had endured as retribution.

_(you would deserve it)_

The world began to melt around him, he began to dissolve into the air, flying apart at the seams because this was all an illusion, Vlad couldn't be here with him. There had simply been too much time, Vlad was different, _he_ was different, there couldn't be any similarities anymore.

He was working for the _Others_, he knew it. It wasn't Vlad, it was an agent with his face, meant to lull him into security before—

"Daniel."

"No! No! Lies are flies buzzing, buzzing all around my head. Flies stick to walls, my brain is thrown up each time they land."

"Daniel, it's _me_," the not-Vlad said.

"You're not him! You can't be! _They've_ sent you, haven't they?"

"Daniel, do you know what your middle name is?"

Daniel paused and frowned. "No. Mom and Dad never told me."

"Jack made your middle name your godfather's name."

Daniel blinked and gaped. "You're kidding me. Dad gave me _your_ name? Oh, God."

Daniel placed his head in his hands and laughed.

He felt Vlad's hands placed on his shoulders before he was drawn into a careful hug. He leaned into it and laughed into Vlad's shirt.

There was no way to replicate his scent. Vlad had cologne custom-made for him. No-one else could come close to it, and people had tried.

"You're really him."  
"Yes."

"I'm—"

"I know."

"I'm glad you survived, frootloop."

"You think I would do anything else, little badger?"

Daniel slowly relaxed into the embrace until he felt comfortable enough to put his arms around Vlad's torso. "You're going to stay with me."

"Where else would I go?"

"Where else indeed."

Daniel gently pushed away, and Vlad let go, although his hands stayed on Daniel's shoulders as confirmation of his reality, of his physicality.

"Not sure how my neighbors are going to take to an older man suddenly moving in with me," Daniel murmured, thinking of Valerie.

"Tell them that your father lost it all speculating and had no choice."

"Plausible enough." A smile slowly grew on Daniel's face. "You gonna put together a rival company for this world's Vlad?"

Vlad chuckled darkly, which perversely made Daniel laugh.

"Have you met Phantom?" Daniel asked.

Vlad frowned and gave him a wary look.

Daniel winced, but made a rough replica of him on the table. "This guy."

Vlad stroked his goatee slowly. "I believe I've _seen_ him, but never interacted. I may have used a part of the Ghost Zone that his ire had weakened to get into the Human World."

"That means that he might be able to leave, soon, too," Daniel murmured and destroyed the model. "Not good. Danny's nowhere near ready to face him."

"Who _is_ he?"

Daniel paused and scratched at the table with one of his nails. "Sit?"

Vlad did so.

"You know when I asked you to separate my ghost and human halves?"

"Yes."

"You refused."

"It was a stupid request."

"In another future, the future that this world used to have, you said yes."

"I must have lost my mind."

"Just telling you like I heard it."

"From whom did you hear this?"

"Danny."

"And you believed him?"

"I have no reason not to. And, as you saw, he exists."

"Go on, then."

"You said yes, and split my ghost and human halves. Apparently my ghost form is…well, malevolent, and surprised you enough to tear your ghost and human halves apart as well. Then mine and your ghost forms merged and, _voilà, you get Phantom. Because apparently your ghost half is evil, too."_

Vlad leaned back in his chair and stroked his goatee. "Intriguing. So ghosts are inherently malevolent?"

"I think inherently amoral."

"Is that so?"

"Look at all the other ghosts we've come across. None of them play by the rules as we know them. So it makes sense that both our ghost selves would be amoral, too."

"Interesting, but not something that I feel like testing out."

"Seconded."

A comfortable silence fell and Daniel crossed his arms as a thought dawned on him. "Dad really gave me your name as my middle name?"

"Daniel Vladimir Fenton, yes."

"God, Danny will flip when I tell him that."

"I am assuming that he and my alternate self are not on the best of terms."

"_We_ are not on the best of terms either but, yes, Danny and this-Vlad are still at odds with each other. Mostly because this-Vlad still wants Danny's mother."

Vlad sighed and shook his head condescendingly.

"You know, that's annoying. This-Vlad and you. What's _your_ middle name, frootloop?"

Vlad grimaced. "You don't want to know."

"I suppose I can call you Vladimir?"

"Father will work just as well."

A brittle silence fell and Daniel felt Vlad's eyes on him. There was something momentous hanging in the balance, something that would determine how the rest of his life with Vlad played out, how their relationship endured or faltered, how this world would adapt to his-Vlad's presence.

_I called him Father often when I was in our home time. I've continued to call him my father here. So, perhaps…_?

"Fine. Father it is," Daniel answered and a small, relieved, triumphant smirk flit across Vlad's face. "Don't think that gives you any special privileges."

"I wouldn't dream it," Vlad drawled, and Daniel's shoulders relaxed.

"I feel oddly bad about relegating you to the couch," Daniel said as he leaned back in his chair, balancing it precariously on its hind legs.

"So don't."

"I'm not sleeping on the couch."

"I'm older than you."

"No special privileges, remember?"

"Then how is this going to work out?"

"I'm tempted to say rock-paper-scissors every day."

Vlad shook his head in condescending amusement.

Daniel rocked the chair slightly and finally said, "As long as your promise not to cuddle, we can share the bed."

"And how big is it?"

"King—I'm used to _some_ luxuries, frootloop," Daniel drawled.

"Then I assume you've done a little bit of bending the rules, hm?"

"How else would I have health insurance?"

"Point."

"Guess I should get you settled in, but you have nothing but yourself, am I right?"

"You are."

Daniel sighed and scratched his head. "Guess that means some shopping, at least for clothes."

"Worried about me, little badger?"

Daniel smirked and shook his head. "Worried about _me_. Can't have you moving in and looking like some homeless man I picked off the street."

Daniel jumped slightly when Vlad chuckled. It was…different. It wasn't mocking, it wasn't plotting, it wasn't malovelent. It was more…chagrined? Exasperated?

_I really don't know him, do I?_ Daniel thought and his palms began to sweat. _Maybe he's not Vlad. Maybe it's a trick. Maybe…_

Daniel sighed heavily and put his head in his hands. "God, frootloop, we don't know each other anymore, do we?"

"Think of it as moving in together all over again. Working against preconceptions, prejudices, memories."

Daniel looked up and caught Vlad's eyes. "You don't hate me for leaving?"

"Hate you? Of course I hate you for leaving."

Strangely, the comment didn't worry Daniel as much as it probably should have. He knew he would've hated Vlad if the man had suddenly left. Well, if there had been anything left to be able to feel hatred for someone other than himself.

"It won't make a difference if I say I didn't know it would be for so long."

"No, it won't."

Daniel let his chair fall back onto all fours, stood, took the now-empty coffee mug, and deposited it in his sink. "Start all over again, huh?"

"More-or-less."

Daniel leaned against his sink and started to laugh, his hands curling into fists.

"Daniel?"

"You know—did you _know_—that I actually missed you? That I wanted you to be here, sometimes, if just because I couldn't stand this place. And now, here I am, trusting that you really _are_ you when that's the stupidest idea I've had in a long time. God, Danny's rubbing off on me. Soon I'll start actually believing in people again and then the world really _will_ end."

Daniel hunched over himself, his head hanging forward as he began to shake.

_It was easier finding out that another me existed than having Vlad returned to me. Or me returned to Vlad._

"This is all—I'm going to wake up, aren't I? I'm going to wake up and stare at the ceiling and find myself back _there_. This is all just…another version of me, my _dead family and friends_ walking and talking and being, Amity Park, and then _you_ and me and I…"

Daniel fell to his knees, his words pressing in on him, rattling around under his skin, and he tangled his fingers in his hair.

_Everything has stopped making sense. I had just begun to get a foothold, a handhold, a hold on how life worked here and now it's all—_

Daniel distantly heard the rustle of cloth and opened his eyes enough to see Vlad sitting down beside him. Not touching him, not speaking, not even _looking_ at him, just…being. Sitting there. Doing nothing to him.

Daniel's death-grip on his hair loosened and he looked up to Vlad, still shaking hard enough to rattle his teeth.

"What have you been doing for work?"

"Work?"

"Yes."

"I…I used to work at ING, but was let go today. Yesterday? Tomorrow? I was let go. I also work at an electronics store, mostly stock. Then I…"

"They don't sound terribly interesting."

"The arcade is."

"The arcade?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"I work for a man named Mark," Daniel said slowly. "He has an arcade that I've begun to take over. It's fun. It's…control."

"I see."

"Do you?"

Daniel's eyes were caught by Vlad's, and he fell quiet.

There was a certain way Vlad looked at him, especially when he was teetering, was not wholly himself. The man's ice-blue eyes didn't judge. They didn't look at him with pity, either, or disgust, anger, fear. He was just…waiting. Content to wait out Daniel, to watch out for him.

The solidity was terrifying and terrifyingly necessary.

"Why is this so much harder?"

"Than finding yourself in completely new surroundings and forced to find a way to survive or die?"

"Well," Daniel said and forced his body to relax, "when you put it _that_ way…"

"I can leave."

"No!" Daniel said quickly, tensing up again. "Don't leave. Don't leave. _Don't_ leave. Father. Don't leave."

Vlad nodded slowly and stood. He offered Daniel his hand.

Daniel knew there were more meanings in the gesture than even Vlad was aware of. More than anything else, it was acceptance. Acceptance of this new-Vlad, of the older man back into his life, and reworking his new life to accommodate the cornerstone of his old one.

There was also the offer of help. Financially as well as physically and mentally. But he would have to reciprocate, to acclimate Vlad to this new world, this new time, this new life—and that he wasn't sure he could do.

Daniel swallowed.

He was willing to try.

"Shall we watch TV? That'll probably be the best way to start," Daniel offered, his voice wobbly and weak.

Vlad gave him a small smile and Daniel took the older man's hand.


End file.
